What Must be Done
by Vashkoda
Summary: Faced with the changes the end of their senior year will bring, Tohru must make some tough choices.
1. Changes

**FRUITS BASKET: WHAT MUST BE DONE**

**by Vashkoda**

(Disclaimer: This work of fiction uses characters belonging to Takaya Natsuki and Hakusensha without their permission. I am getting no profit from it. I only do it because I think Fruits Basket is a great story, and I want to help keep it alive!)

Author's Note: I've watched the sub, but I have close to no knowledge of Japanese, so any corrections or comments would be appreciated.

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Tohru, Kyo, Momiji and Hiro were enjoying the late afternoon sun in a small clearing outside Shigure's house. It had been difficult to endure being in a stuffy classroom when it was so beautiful outside, so the four of them were now doing their best to enjoy what remained of the day. 

"It's too bad Yuki-kun couldn't be here with us," said Tohru sympathetically. "I hope his appointment with Hatori-san is going well."

Kyo muttered something that didn't sound at all sympathetic.

"This year is going by so fast," sighed Momiji. "Soon we'll be out of school, and then you, Tohru, and Kyo and Yuki will all be going to the university. You'll move far away, and I won't be able to visit you any more." His eyes became watery as his face took on a look of absolute misery.

Hiro, who had been silent up until then, stood up suddenly and poked Tohru in the shoulder.

"Get us some cookies, would you? I'm hungry."

Kyo bristled at the young boy's lack of manners. "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, GIVING HER ORDERS?! SHE ISN'T OUR SERVANT! IF YOU WANT YOUR DAMNED COOKIES, GET THEM YOURSELF!"

Hiro looked nonplussed. "She works for you, doesn't she? She cooks, cleans and takes care of Shigure's house in exchange for room and board. I think that fits the description of a servant, don't you?"

Tohru looked horrified as Kyo seemed ready to beat the younger Souma. "No, it's okay, Kyo-kun! I can get the cookies. Hiro-kun and Momiji-chan are still growing. It's natural that they get hungry very often." She quickly stood up and brushed her dress before dashing off to the house.

"What did you do that for?" asked Kyo, his tone now more annoyed than angry.

Hiro turned his deep brown eyes on him. "I just saved your friend from an awkward situation. Like you, Momiji has a habit of speaking without thinking first."

Momiji cried out in protest. "Am not! Why are you always saying such mean things, Hiro?"

"Listen," said Hiro impatiently. "Tuition at the university is very expensive. Tohru can barely afford to pay for highschool as it is. It's most likely that she won't be going, and will either stay here taking care of Shigure or move on to some other job."

Momiji and Kyo looked stunned. 

"Well...then I'll pay for it!" declared Momiji, as if that settled the matter. Hiro gave him a long stare.

"I don't care how big an allowance your father gives you. It still won't be enough."

"Bah, who cares about the university?" muttered Kyo, kicking a stone through the trees. "I'm not going. After school is over, I plan to train full time with sensei Kazuma."

Hiro shook his head, his expression becoming hardened and withdrawn. "Akito won't allow it. After all, one of his obligations as clan head is to ensure the family is looked after and gets a full education. Especially those _special_ members of the family."

"He can't do that!" cried Kyo.

"I'd like to see you stop him," snorted Hiro. 

Kyo said nothing.

Tohru was halfway to the house when she realized that she hadn't asked Hiro what _type _of cookies he wanted. They had many varieties, after all, for when the younger Soumas came to visit. A few times she had even passed out Shigure's dog biscuits by mistake. It had been quite embarrassing, but luckily no one got sick. 

As she headed back, she could hear bits of conversation floating on the wind. She was relieved that there were no sounds of fighting.

"...tuition at the university is very expensive. Tohru can barely afford to pay for highschool as it is...."

She stopped in her tracks. Although she knew it was rude to listen, she couldn't make herself move.

"Well...then I'll pay for it!"

"I don't care how big an allowance your father gives you. It still won't be enough."

It was true. Tohru couldn't believe it hadn't dawned on her before that she might not be able to afford to go to the university with her friends after high school. Her life had been so wonderful after finding the Soumas, that she simply assumed that things would always stay as they were. 

Now she was stuck with the realization that once the new school year began, things would never be the same. Yuki and Kyo would move out of Shigure's house to live on campus. Hanajima would probably enter a university as well. Uotani was in a tight spot financially, much like Tohru, and would likely begin working full time at the store or coffee shop.

And Tohru herself...what would _she_ do?

"Okasan, you wanted me to have an education. I will finish high school, and I know that will make you happy. But did you also want me to go to the university? Would you be disappointed if I don't go?" she asked softly to the wind. 

The last bell of the day rang through the halls, which were soon filled with bustling students. Tohru waited for Uo and Hana to file out of their classrooms.

"Hello Tohru-chan!" called out Uo cheerfully. Her brow creased in concern as she noted the sad expression on her friend's face.

"What's wrong, dear?" asked the tall blond. Hana joined them a second later, the students in the hall marking a wide path around her as they hastily gathered their belonging and left.

"Perhaps Tohru is sick?" suggested the dark-haired girl, bringing a hand to the other's forehead.

"Ah, maybe she's caught 'prom-fever'! It was the only thing the girls in my classroom would talk about all day," groaned Uo in mock exasperation. 

"P-prom?" stuttered Tohru, looking suddenly anxious.

"Aren't you going?" Hana asked Uo in surprise, not noticing that Tohru had become quite pale. Uo shrugged.

"It's always a hassle finding a guy to go with. I think most of them are scared of me."

Hana nodded. "I know the feeling. We aren't as lucky as Tohru, who has all these boys falling over her." At last she turned to look at Tohru, noting her wide-eyed expression.

"Uh, Tohru? You really aren't looking well. Do you want us to stop by the nurse's office?"

"No-no, that's okay!" Tohru quickly assured them, seeming to have suddenly snapped out of her daze. "Let's go! I don't want to make Uo-chan late for work, and I know that Hana-chan needs to study-"

Hana and Uo exchanged suspicious glances. 

"Well, if you're sure...." began Uo, as Tohru grabbed both of them by the elbow and began steering them out of the building.

"There you are!" cried a voice beyond the door. Suddenly three girls jumped in front of them, blocking their path.

"I know what you're plotting, Honda Tohru!" snapped the oldest among them, proudly flashing her homemade pin decorated with a picture of Yuki. "I know you're going to ask Yuki-kun to the prom!"

"So what if she is?" asked Uo threateningly, causing two of the girls to nervously back away. "What business is it of yours?"

"Yuki is our business!" exclaimed the first girl, her words giving the other two courage. "But we're not here to cause trouble," she amended quickly, throwing a glance at Hana, who had begun to look annoyed. "I just wanted to warn you that we are now opponents in the glorious struggle to win the love of our Prince. I will do whatever it takes to make him go to the prom with me. Be prepared, and may the best woman win!"

The three vanished as quickly as they had appeared. 

"Don't let them worry you," said Hana reassuringly. "Go ahead and ask Yuki to the prom. Uo and I won't let them try anything."

Tohru looked troubled. "But I...I haven't even decided if I wanted to go. And I don't know who I'd choose, or if they'd even want to go with me."

"Who you'd choose?" repeated Uo in surprise. "I thought you'd want to go with Yuki. Or is it that spazzy carrot-top boy you were thinking of?"

Tohru blushed. "I don't know. It's hard to decide, and maybe neither one wants to go. And besides," she said, suddenly remembering what had been on her mind earlier that day, "I probably can't afford to go. Those nice dresses are expensive."

Hana smiled at her. "My grandmother loves to sew. I'm having her make my dress. Maybe I could ask her to make yours, too. And yours, Uo-chan," she added. The blond looked at her in surprise.

"I thought you said you weren't going. Who would we go with?"

"Well, if we don't have dates, we could always go together just as friends."

"Oh yes!" said Tohru, suddenly relieved. "If I go, you both must come too!"

"All right, but don't use us as an excuse to wheedle your way out of asking one of those boys to the prom," warned Uo.

Tohru looked back at her sheepishly, her trick uncovered. But she did her best to hide her concerns, and smiled at her friends.

"Hai!"


	2. Courage

**FRUITS BASKET: WHAT MUST BE DONE**

**by Vashkoda**

(Disclaimer: This work of fiction uses characters belonging to Takaya Natsuki and Hakusensha without their permission. I am getting no profit from it. I only do it because I think Fruits Basket is a great story, and I want to help keep it alive!)

Author's Note: I've watched the sub, but I have close to no knowledge of Japanese, so any corrections or comments would be appreciated.

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Yuki hesitated at the doorstep. Was this really necessary? After all, maybe there was someone else he could go to....

_Since when have you become such a coward? _he chastised himself angrily. _You can overcome this obstacle, just as you've beaten everything else. _

Gathering his courage, he pushed open the door, sounding the small metal chimes hanging above the frame. 

"Oh my heavens! Can it BE?"

Yuki found himself suddenly crushed in his older brother's embrace. Ayame released him only to call over his assistant, waving his arms emphatically at Yuki. 

"Look, Mine, my little brother has come to visit me! My horoscope said that I would be blessed today, but I didn't realize how right it would be! I knew that it was only a matter of time before he came to see his _oniisan_. Oh how much fun we'll have! Come, I'll make us some tea-"

"I don't think there'll be time. You see, I came here for this," Yuki explained quickly, lifting up a black suit jacket. It had become crumpled in Ayame's hug. "It's a little old and I need to get it refitted." He paused, casting a glance at the aisles of women's costumes. "Er, I know you don't work on men's clothing, but I figured you'd be able to do this, and it saves me the trouble of finding-"

"Ah, you're here on business," said Ayame, his voice now serious. Was there a hint of disappointment there as well? "Well then we'll definitely have some tea. I always serve tea to my customers as we negotiate a price." 

Yuki looked down at the jacket in surprise. "Will it be that expensive? I assumed all you needed to do was loosen up a few stitches-" 

"Ah, Yuki! You know I could never charge my little brother!" cried Ayame joyfully, giving him another hug. "Why, seeing you here is compensation enough! Though I would prefer to just design you a whole new suit. I know just what I'd put on it! Some little ribbons here, and ruffles on the cuffs, and-" 

"No, no, that's ok!" Yuki protested, horrified by the image of what his brother might create. "I just need this for one night. This one will be fine enough." 

Ayame dragged him over to the far corner and began taking out his tape measure. Mumbling around the pins held in his mouth, he asked, "So, this is for the prom?" 

Yuki wished he had kept quiet. "Hai," he acknowledged, wanting to say as little as possible on the matter. 

"Ah, so will you be going with the beautiful princess Tohru?" Ayame asked slyly. "I still have that dress she tried on. I think she would look stunning in it." 

"Baka," muttered Yuki in disdain. "That isn't the kind of thing you wear to a prom." 

"So you _are_ going together!" said Ayame, clapping his hands in glee. 

Yuki bowed his head, hiding his face. "I...I haven't asked her, yet," he admitted reluctantly. 

Ayame lifted a hand to his mouth in a gesture of fear and surprise. "Aren't you afraid your arch-enemy will ask her in your place?" 

Yuki growled. "That idiot cat. He doesn't deserve someone like Tohru." 

"But _ you_ of course, are perfect in every way. The princess could not ask for anyone better!" 

The teen looked up at his older brother suspiciously, uncertain whether he was being mocked. 

"Ah, Yuki," Ayame sighed as he clipped at the seams of the jacket. "Why must everything be a competition between the two of you? I feel so sorry for the poor boy."

Yuki glared at him. "You're my brother. I would think you'd be taking _my_ side."

"Of course I'm on your side!" exclaimed Ayame emotionally, giving him another hug. Yuki cried out as the pins poked him. 

"Oops, gomen!"

"Anyways, I'm not the one making a competition out of everything," insisted Yuki, rubbing his arm. "_He's_ the one who challenges _me._"

"But couldn't you let him win, just once?"

Yuki made no reply. Just as Ayame began to worry that he might have pressed the issue too far with his younger brother, the other spoke. 

"I _have_ considered it, just to make him leave me alone," Yuki acknowledged slowly. "But for some reason, I can't make myself do it. Some part of me just won't let him win." He looked pensive for a moment, then shrugged. 

"Besides, the neko's head is big enough as it is. I wouldn't want to make it explode," he pointed out with a smile. 

Yuki left Ayame's shop in a troubled mood. Despite making light of their conversation, Yuki had felt very uncomfortable discussing Kyo with his brother. He himself didn't understand exactly why he acted the way he did around Kyo, or why Kyo was always picking fights with him. Shigure would joke that they were acting out against the deeper feelings they had for one another, but Shigure also had a perverted and overly active imagination. Kyo always insisted on proving himself better than Yuki, although Yuki didn't understand what particular thing fueled this obsession. There were qualities in Kyo that Yuki himself envied, although of course he would never admit them to his face. So why couldn't the two of them just accept each other for what they were and get along? 

His thoughts turned to Tohru. She was the one who linked them together. Without her, he knew that relations would be a lot more strained between himself and Kyo. Yuki knew that Kyo felt just as deeply for her as he did. And as far as he could tell, Tohru shared her affection equally with both of them, although it had not yet progressed to anything romantic. Was it fair, then, to put her in a situation where she would have to choose between them? 

_But even if I don't ask her, Kyo will_, Yuki realized, and reflexively, his feelings toward Kyo darkened. He even found himself running home, spurred on by the fear that Kyo had already asked Tohru to the prom. 

He burst into the house panting, drawing startled looks from Tohru and Kyo. The latter was stretched out on the sofa, throwing annoyed glances at Yuki, who seemed to have woken him up. Tohru, on the other hand, anxiously rushed towards him. 

"Yuki-kun, why were you running? Are you all right?" she asked him worriedly, dashing to the kitchen to get him some water. "Oh, you know that you're not supposed to run in your condition! You might have trouble breathing again!" 

She returned quickly with a glass of water. "I was very scared for Yuki-kun when that happened the first time," she admitted softly, passing it to him. Yuki blushed, taking a long sip from the glass to hide his expression. 

"It is very kind of Honda-san to be so thoughtful," he replied. His eyes strayed towards the sofa, where he noticed Kyo staring at him. _Has he asked her already?_ Yuki wondered nervously. 

Tohru gave him one of her trademark smiles. "I care too much about Yuki-kun to let anything happen to him." 

_Just how much do you care? _he asked her silently. Kyo had already turned away, resuming his earlier nap. Yuki decided to wait until after dinner to ask her. Hopefully they could have a moment alone then. 

Soon, wonderful aromas began wafting out from the kitchen. Shigure bounded happily down the steps like a little child, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. Kyo finally found the energy to get up, yawning and stretching noisily as he climbed off the couch. 

Yuki impatiently watched them file into the kitchen. Just a little longer. But despite the anxious knot in his stomach, he forced himself to relax so that he could enjoy the meal he knew Tohru had worked hard to prepare. 

There was a knock at the front door. Shigure poked his head around the kitchen entrance, a look of annoyance on his face. 

"Who would be impolite enough to drop by during dinner? Maybe they smelled our little flower's wonderful cooking and came by to see if they could have some?" Troubled by the thought, Shigure pushed Yuki into the kitchen and urged him to begin hiding the food. The kitchen door was slammed behind him, so that Yuki couldn't see who was at the door. 

"Kyo-kun, shouldn't we wait until Shigure-san is here to begin eating?" asked Tohru meekly. 

The orange-haired teen was busy shoveling food into his mouth. "Didn't you hear him? He wants us to make the food disappear," Kyo mumbled, his mouth half-full. "I'm just doing my part to help." 

"Baka!" scolded Yuki, slapping him across the back of the head. Kyo immediately rose to his feet and assumed a fighting stance, but Yuki pointed instead at Tohru and added, "You're supposed to wait until the one who prepares the food has taken a bite. You are being disrespectful towards Honda-san!" 

Kyo glowered at him, his cheeks growing pink from both anger and embarrassment. 

_Surely Tohru wouldn't have agreed to go to the prom with someone so thoughtless?_ wondered Yuki. But Tohru was also the most forgiving and selfless person that he knew, and if Kyo had indeed asked her, she might have said yes just to avoid hurting him. 

_But then why weren't they saying anything about it? Surely Kyo would have been bragging about it, even right there in front of Tohru._

Shigure walked back into the kitchen, casting a disapproving look at Kyo's half-empty plate. Hoping to quickly change the subject, Kyo asked who had been at the door. Rather than reply, Shigure opened the kitchen door wide, revealing what lay in the room beyond. 

The entrance hall was almost completely covered in flowers. Potted plants, bouquets, and individual long stemmed roses littered the floor. 

"Did someone send those to Honda-san?" asked Yuki, throwing a quick glance at Kyo. But the redhead looked just as dumbfounded as Yuki felt. 

"As a matter of fact, no," said Shigure, a smile rising at the corners of his lips. "They're for _you_." The older man handed Yuki a large card decorated with hearts. Yuki took one quick look at the signature inside and blushed, dropping the card. 

"Oh, look at the beautiful flowers! Yuki-kun is very lucky," said Tohru, coming up from behind. Yuki nearly jumped, and quickly picked up the card and hid it behind his back. 

"I don't want them. If you want them, you can have them," he stammered quickly. 

"Now now, that's not polite, Yuki-kun!" said Shigure in a sing-song voice. "You can't give someone else the flowers that were meant for you! What would your secret admirer think if she knew?" 

Yuki wanted the throttle Shigure. 

Tohru began collecting the bouquets. "I will find a vase to put them in for you, Yuki-kun. Someone must think that you're very special. You can't just give their gift away." 

Yuki caught Kyo grinning at him out of the corner of his eye. Was he behind this after all? Had he plotted with the president of that ridiculous fanclub to find a way to embarrass him in front of Tohru? 

"Oh, Tohru, before I forget-" called out Shigure, halting the girl before she could reach the kitchen. "I have a favor to ask of you."

"Hai," acknowledged Torhu with a questioning glance.

"I was wondering...if you could go to the prom with me." Now Shigure was the one blushing in embarrassment.

_"NANI?"_ cried Kyo and Yuki in unison.

The older man pouted, trying to win their sympathy as he explained, "I got asked to chaperone your dance. But being around so many young couples in love, it will remind me of how lonely I am, single and alone. It would ease my pain if I had a pretty girl like you to keep me company-"

"Pervert!" yelled Kyo, raising his fists. Yuki automatically held him back, though he was considering letting Kyo loose just this once.

"Hai, Shigure-san. I will go."

Kyo and Yuki turned as one to stare at her. 

"Tohru..."

"Honda-san..."

Was that a look of relief on her face? She avoided their gaze and stared down at her feet. 

"Oh, thank you, Tohru-chan! You have made an old man very happy!" he cheered. "I was worried that maybe someone else had asked you. Of course, I knew that Kyo-kun could only be going with Kagura-chan. And when I saw those flowers, I knew that someone else had plans to go with Yuki-kun. So if you'll forgive me, I took a chance that maybe you were still available."

"That's all right," said Tohru softly.

_No, it's not all right!_ thought Yuki angrily. He waited for her to say something in protest; to argue that what Shigure was asking her was unfair. But Tohru continued to avoid their gaze, saying nothing as Shigure prattled on.

Yuki heard a door slam and realized that Kyo had left the room in disgust. He desperately wanted to do the same, but he couldn't make himself leave Tohru alone with Shigure. 

Although at the moment, he didn't know which he was most furious at.

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(Thank you for the kind reviews! And don't worry--she won't be able to put off the decision for much longer) 


	3. Chance

**FRUITS BASKET: WHAT MUST BE DONE**

**by Vashkoda**

(Disclaimer: This work of fiction uses characters belonging to Takaya Natsuki and Hakusensha without their permission. I am getting no profit from it. I only do it because I think Fruits Basket is a great story, and I want to help keep it alive!)

Author's Note: I'm sorry I left you all hanging--I've been gone on vacation. My job is still keeping me busy, so I won't be able to update this as often as I'd like, but I'll try.

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"I still can't believe it!"

Uo's fists were clenched at her sides. She found it very difficult to stand still, but Hana's grandmother was currently taking her measurements. The old woman had just finished with Tohru, who left to the kitchen with Hana's younger brother to make them all snacks. Hana was seated across from Uo and her grandmother, and despite Uo's outburst, Hana's expression was casual and unconcerned.

"Well, we did tell her to go with one of the Sohma's. I suppose it's our own fault for not being more specific," Hana said calmly.

"You're making _ jokes_ now?!" cried Uo, practically tearing her own hair out. "This is serious! What are we going to do?"

"Tohru-chan is very lucky to go with the famous Sohma Shigure!" said Hana's grandmother in a wistful tone as she put away her tape measure. "Why, if I was only a few years younger..." she trailed off with a cackle that made Uo's flesh break out in goosebumps.

"Uh...maybe we should go help Tohru-chan carry the tray," suggested Uo hurriedly, grabbing a surprised Hana by the arm. "We'll be right back!" she called over her shoulder as the two of them headed for the stairs.

"Is something wrong, Uo-chan?"

The tall blond shivered and threw her friend and incredulous look. "Didn't you hear what your grandmother just said?"

Hana curled her lips into a small smile. "Well, when Tohru told us that Shigure-san was really the author of _obaachan's_ favorite romance series-"

"Yeah, all right, I get it," said Uo, rolling her eyes. "But Hana-chan, you have to agree that for someone like Tohru to be going to the prom with a man ten years older is going to look bad. People are going to talk."

"She's not _going out_ with him. She's only going to keep him company as he chaperone's the dance."

Uo gave Hana another long stare. 

"Nevertheless, I think it's a shame she isn't going with Kyo-kun or the Prince," continued Hana as they reached the foot of the stairs. "Tohru-chan has never been on a date before. It would have been nice for her to be with someone she cares about."

"Neither of those boys seems to care much in return," remarked Uo coldly as they approached the kitchen. "Have you noticed how the two of them have been avoiding her lately? They won't even look her in the eye when she talks to them!"

Hana's younger brother suddenly appeared in the kitchen doorway, carrying a large bowl and several plates. Afraid that her comment had been overheard, Uo tried to cover up her blunder by quickly offering to carry the things up herself. She was still blushing when she left the kitchen with several additional items in her arms and headed up the stairs.

"Is everything all right down here, Megumi?" Hana asked him.

"Tohru-chan seems a little sadder than usual," he remarked quietly. "Have people been...bothering her?"

"Leave Tohru's protection to me and Uo," Hana smiled, giving his hair an affectionate rub. "Now, what's left for us to carry up?"

It was another beautiful day, and once again, they sat upon the grassy hill overlooking Shigure's house. This time, however, it was only Tohru, Momiji and Hiro. The younger boy watched the other two in annoyance, wondering when something interesting was going to happen. If he had wanted to spend the afternoon staring silently at the sky, he could have done that back at the estate. 

"Where's Kyo?" he asked finally, surprised to find that he missed having the annoying redhead around. Well, he was a good source of entertainment, if nothing else.

Hiro was surprised to see Momiji narrow his eyes at him in a threatening manner. What could he possibly have said to upset his cousin? Momiji was no more a fan of Kyo than he was.

"Come to think of it, I haven't seen Yuki around either. You'd think with one gone, the other would be hanging around Tohru-- hey!" Now Momiji had actually jabbed him in the ribs. Something was definitely going on. 

"You say I have a big mouth," the younger boy hissed. When Hiro continued to give him a blank look, Momiji mouthed the word 'prom', throwing a quick glance at Tohru to see if she had noticed their exchange. 

If she had, she made no sign. Tohru stared down in the direction of the house, but her eyes didn't seem to be focused on anything in particular. She hadn't spoken a word since they sat down. She didn't look _sad_, exactly, but neither was she her usual chipper and chatty self. 

Why did Momiji think that mentioning the prom would upset her? Surely she would be going with either Kyo or Yuki. Hiro wondered which one had managed to ask her first. The two teens would be at each other's throats for the next few weeks--something Hiro had hoped to catch a glimpse of this afternoon, for their fights were always fun to watch. Instead, here he was, assuredly more bored than he could possibly have been back at the Souma estate.

Momiji crawled over to where Tohru sat and wrapped his arms around her shoulders to comfort her. Instantly, his body disappeared in a cloud of thick smoke, reappearing a second later as a small yellow bunny.

_That was stupid of him_, thought Hiro reproachfully. What did he _think_ would happen when he tried to hug a girl?

Tohru picked the rabbit up and set it down in her lap, absently rubbing her hand against it and stroking its fur. It then struck Hiro that Momiji knew _exactly_ what he was doing. Despite his young looks, Momiji was only a year younger than Tohru, and yet he cared for her as deeply as any of the other Soumas. Unfortunately, his appearance and child-like personality sometimes worked against him, and although he could have been a potential suitor, it was obvious that he stood no chance of contending with Kyo and Yuki for Tohru's heart.

As a cute fluffy animal, being hugged tightly against Tohru's body, it was as close as his cousin might ever get to feeling Tohru's tender touch. Hiro felt slightly disgusted. Shigure was obviously having a bad influence on Momiji. 

"I'm heading over to the library. See you guys later," he told them, deciding he had already wasted enough of the afternoon.

"It'll be closed. It's past four," Momiji reminded him, his rabbit mouth somehow able to form the words.

"I'm going to the estate's."

The rabbit's ears perked up in interest. "Hey, that's an idea! Why don't we all go? You'll like our library, Tohru--it's really big!"

Hiro gave the animal an incredulous stare. "And how do you propose we do that? _She's_ not a Souma. She doesn't have permission from Akito-san."

The rabbit seemed to wink at him. "They don't know that. And why would the guards doubt the word of two _juunishi__?_"

Hiro crossed his arms in front of him. "What makes you think I'll go along with this plan?"

Those words still echoed in his mind as Hiro found himself walking down the white pebbled path leading to the Souma library. Every time they met a guard, Hiro half-hoped the man would stop them and question them about their guest. But as his cousin had predicted, Hiro and Momiji's faces were well known by the security staff, and they all assumed that whatever the _juunishi_ were up to, it was surely with Akito's consent. Hiro merely watched and said nothing, preferring to be a spectator than a participant in this odd game of Momiji's. At least he wasn't bored anymore.

"Are...are you sure about this, Momiji-kun? I've always needed Akito-san's permission to be on the estate before." Momiji had to practically drag Tohru forward since they had arrived. She had been taking small, hesitant steps, making the walk to the library take forever. Their slow progress had allowed more guards to spot them, but Tohru's fearful expression probably convinced them that she must be here to see Akito.

"Don't worry, Tohru-chan," he said cheerfully in a sing-song voice. "We haven't been stopped yet, have we?"

The difficulty would be in explaining why they were going to the library. If there was anyone stationed there, Tohru would surely be turned away. Many of the books had been kept in the Souma family for generations; ancient texts and scrolls that outside eyes were never meant to see. 

When they reached the library steps and found the doors unguarded, Hiro released a sigh of disappointment. They weren't going to get caught after all. He had been hoping for something interesting to happen, though it also carried the risk of drawing Akito's attention and his wrath.

As they slid the door panels open and quickly stepped inside, Hiro reflected that it was probably for the best that no one saw them enter. An uneventful afternoon was certainly preferable to a meeting with the clan head.

"There are so many books here!" said Tohru in awe, her fears for the moment forgotten. She wandered down the many aisles of bookcases, her eyes darting everywhere in wonder.

"I thought you might like it," grinned Momiji, following close behind her.

Hiro snorted. "It was _my_ idea to come here. You just decided to tag along."

Tohru halted suddenly, causing Momiji to stumble into her and immediately transform. Hiro stopped himself in time, then looked beyond Tohru to see what had caused her to stop.

A man with reddish-brown hair stood before them, narrowing his eyes down at Tohru, Momiji, and Hiro in turn. His eyes lingered on the last.

"So it was your idea, Souma Hiro? Then you have some explaining to do."


	4. Catastrophe

**FRUITS BASKET: WHAT MUST BE DONE**

**by Vashkoda**

(Disclaimer: This work of fiction uses characters belonging to Takaya Natsuki and Hakusensha without their permission. I am getting no profit from it. I only do it because I think Fruits Basket is a great story, and I want to help keep it alive!)

Author's Note: I haven't read the manga and have found only bits of translations for what happens after the anime ends. I know that Kureno and Rin exist, but little more. So from this point on, I am deviating from the established background of the FURUBA universe. That doesn't mean it can't still be a good story, though, so I hope you continue to enjoy it.

---------------------------------------

Tohru looked at the rows and rows of books in silent wonder. The Sohma's library was much bigger than the one at school. She remembered the time she had gone to that library in search of books for Kyo and Yuki.

_I really should get them something this time, too_, she thought to herself, a little guiltily. _I know they're mad at me for going to the prom with Shigure-san. There must be something I can do to make them feel better...._

She scanned the titles on the shelves, looking for ideas. The books all looked very old, and she was afraid to touch them and risk tearing the fragile bindings. 

_What can I get them? I already gave Yuki a book on gardening, and Kyo a book on cooking. What else would they need?_ And then she realized that--this being their family's library--if there was any subject here they were interested in, they probably would have read the books already.

Feeling quite defeated, Tohru stared down gloomily at the carpet as she headed to the end of the aisle.

That was when she noticed the presence of someone standing there, watching her. She froze suddenly, and felt something bump into her from behind. 

"So it was your idea, Souma Hiro?" the stranger said, looking furious. "Then you have some explaining to do."

Tohru freaked out. _I knew I shouldn't have come here, I knew I shouldn't have come! _she repeated over and over in her mind. _Now I'm going to be in big trouble, and I'll have gotten Momiji-chan and Hiro-kun in trouble too! Maybe if I say it was all my idea, they'll let the others go? _

"Hello, Kureno-san," said Hiro, interrupting her thoughts. "I'm surprised to see you here. Does Akito-san know?"

Rather than answer his question, the man, Kureno, turned his disapproving gaze on Tohru. "What is your name?" he asked her.

"H-honda Tohru," she stuttered, almost falling over herself as she tried to make a bow.

"But her mom's a Sohma!" she heard Momiji say. Looking around for him, she was surprised to see that he was in his animal form again. That surprise prevented her from actually registering what he had just said.

"Family names do not matter," growled Kureno. "Only the clan name is important. You must call yourself Sohma Tohru."

Tohru didn't know what to say. The man's gaze was so intense that she felt compelled to simply obey his order, even if he had been misinformed.

"She doesn't know any of the rules yet, she only joined us a short time ago. Her mother died, you see, so she came here." Which was true in a sense, Tohru supposed. Still, she wondered why Momiji was perpetuating this lie. She didn't want him to risk getting in more trouble because of her. But what if the lie was also protecting himself and Hiro? She wouldn't let them risk themselves for her, but if it would help _them_, too-

"I...I'm sorry," the man said, looking surprised and slightly ashamed. He lifted his gaze from Tohru, and she suddenly breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that she had been holding her breath. 

"Just make sure you learn the rules. These two should be able to help you."

"_Hai,_ Kureno-san!" said Momiji cheerfully, raising his paw in salute.

Tohru looked up as she heard a strange flapping sound coming from the library entrance. A small shadow darted into the room, finally coming to rest on Kureno's shoulder. 

It was a little brown bird. Kureno lifted his hand palm-upwards, and the creature hopped down and settled onto it. They looked each other in the eye as a silent message passed between them.

"All right, I will go see him," the man said. The bird seemed satisfied and took off, disappearing down the aisle. Kureno walked over to a nearby table and picked up a pile of books that had been left there. 

"If you'll excuse me-" he said, brushing past them on his way out the door. Tohru caught a glimpse of one characters in the title of the topmost book. It was the kanji for 'curse'.

"We'd better not stick around," said Hiro nervously as Kureno disappeared. "If he tells Akito we brought Tohru here-"

"He won't," said Momiji confidently. "I don't think Akito-san would be happy with him if he found out he was talking with us. You know how he is about Kureno."

Hiro nodded.

Tohru was confused. 

"I'll walk her home," Momiji offered. "C'mon, Sohma Tohru!" he laughed, guiding her down the steps.

She was really confused.

Tohru was even more confused the next day when Hiro appeared at Shigure's house with a summons to the estate.

"Did--did Akito find out?!" Tohru asked him, terrified.

"No. At least...I don't think so. This came from Kureno himself. He wants to meet you again, at the library. I guess he'd been looking for you at the estate, so I was forced to tell him you lived here with Shigure and the others." He shrugged and passed the note to her. 

"W-wait, aren't you coming?" she cried, watching him walk out the door. 

"I can't," he called over his shoulder. "You're to come alone. Besides, you don't need us. That pass will get you inside."

Tohru stared at the slip of paper nervously. Kureno wanted to see her. Had he discovered Momiji's lie? What would the punishment be?

Kyo looked down from his perch the roof as he heard the front door slide shut. He saw Tohru step onto the path leading back to town, and idly wondered what errand she would be running. She seemed particularly nervous this morning, which turned his idle curiosity into growing concern. What was she doing that had her so worried? 

He debated with himself whether he should offer to keep her company. But _dammit_, he was supposed to be mad at her! The whole point of avoiding her all this time was to make her understand that he disapproved of her going to the prom with Shigure. He probably would have done the same thing had she chosen to go with Yuki. 

It was of small consolation that she _hadn't_ picked the mouse, yet at the same time, he felt cheated. Part of him yearned to know, once and for all, which of the two she truly cared for. Even if it wasn't him, the fact that he would no longer be left wondering--no longer forced to fight a hopeless battle--would ease an incredible burden from his shoulders.

Now he had no other option but to continue the game. Unfortunately, Tohru was the one who suffered for it, which made Kyo's hatred towards his cousin rise even more. How could Yuki be avoiding her, when he knew that Kyo was already doing so? How could he stand to leave Tohru all alone, just to make a stupid point?

Before fully realizing what he was doing, Kyo found himself running after Tohru. 

She was waiting around the bend, likely having heard his frantic approach. He read surprise in her eyes, before she quickly turned her gaze away and stared at the side of the road. She probably assumed that their meeting was by accident, and that he would simply continue to ignore her and walk on.

He stayed where he was, leaning against his knees as he struggled to catch his breath.

"To-Tohru," he gasped, drawing another surprised look from her. "Are...is everything...all right?" 

She hesitated before approaching, then reached out to help steady him as he lifted himself up.

"Kyo-kun," she said worriedly, looking him over. "Why were you running? Is everything all right?"

"I just asked _you_ that, don't you listen?" he growled, trying hard not to shout. Why on earth had he followed her?

"I'm...I'm all right," she said, staring at the ground again.

"Don't tell me that! I can see you're worried about something. What is it?" He then forced himself to speak in a softer voice, and added, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

She still wasn't looking at him. "No, thank you, Kyo-kun. I just have to meet someone."

His own eyes strayed to the paper clutched between her fingers. He recognized it instantly. 

"You've been summoned to the estate," he said slowly, beginning to grow fearful. "Tell me, Tohru, who is it you're going to see? I can come along and-"

"No, no thank you, Kyo. You cannot help me."

"But maybe I-"

"No!"

Her refusal stung him like a slap to the face. For a moment, he imagined that it had been his heart that was so viciously rejected, but he knew that if it were so, he would be reeling from the pain. As it was, her words caused him sufficient grief and anger that he turned away from her and ran back to the house.

"Kyo-kun!" she called out after a few moments' hesitation.

He was such a fool. 

"Kyo-kun...."


	5. Curses

**FRUITS BASKET: WHAT MUST BE DONE**

**by Vashkoda**

(Disclaimer: This work of fiction uses characters belonging to Takaya Natsuki and Hakusensha without their permission. I am getting no profit from it. I only do it because I think Fruits Basket is a great story, and I want to help keep it alive!)

Author's Note: Thanks for all the encouragement!

---------------------------------------

Tohro felt like crying, but she didn't want to appear before Kureno all red-faced and teary. She bit her lip and focused on keeping her eyes dry.

She had hurt Kyo, and now he was probably even angrier with her than before. She began to wonder if things would ever again be right between her, Kyo and Yuki. They had so little time left now to be together. 

But she couldn't have told Kyo why she needed to go to the estate. Momiji's lie had gotten enough people in trouble, and she didn't want Kyo to get involved. Besides, Hiro had said to come alone, and yet Tohru had the feeling that Kyo would have insisted on being there. He was always so caring, thinking about others without worrying about the risks to himself....

I have to make it up to them, she thought fiercely, her eyes welling with tears again. 

"Stop it! I will not cry! I won't!" she said, shocked for a moment to realize that she had spoken aloud. Thankfully, there wasn't anyone around to hear her. 

As she blinked the tears away, she saw the sign at the corner marking the boundary of the Sohma estate. She had arrived.

"Thank you for coming, Sohma Tohru," said Kureno in a grave voice. Tohru wondered if this formal address was normal for the older man, or if he was already bringing attention to the lie. His expression was so serious that Tohru found herself unable to speak at first, and could only manage a quick bow to acknowledge the greeting.

He led her to a low wooden table at the back of the room with large cushions placed on either side. He took a seat and motioned for her to sit across from him.

"I apologize in advance if my questions trouble you," he began, reaching out for a still-steaming pot of tea. Tohru was suddenly shaken from her daze and reached out herself to serve the tea, always being the one to do so at Shigure's. But before she could manage, the russet-haired man had already picked up the porcelain container and began dividing its contents into two finely crafted cups.

"Thank you for the gesture, but you are the guest here. Besides, this is a simple task, and one I have grown quite adept at performing."

As she settled back down against the cushion, his previous sentence came back to her. _I apologize in advance if my questions trouble you._ What was he going to ask her?

"I will come right to the point, then," he said, watching her closely. "I regret that I must ask you this, but.... When did your mother die?"

His question caught her by surprise. "Wh- why do you...?" Before he could explain, she quickly replied, "It was three years ago. She was in a car accident."

Tohru found the look of relief upon his face very upsetting. She was almost tempted not to answer his next question.

"What month was this exactly?"

"... April."

Kureno grabbed a scroll from a pile at the far edge of the table, kept carefully away from the tea. He lay it out flat and used two books to pin down the edges. The parchment was very long, and had many names written across it. His eyes were scanning the document, searching for something.

"What is that?" she asked him boldly, her anger momentarily forgotten as she let curiosity get the best of her. She blushed as he looked up at her, realizing she had interrupted his work. He did not look angry as he met her gaze, and instead, smiled encouragingly at her interest.

"It is only the latest page of a very long record of history. Our family's history. It is my job to keep track of everyone, though I admit, I haven't always been successful. For instance, I am having trouble finding anyone named 'Tohru' here. What was your mother's name?"

"Kyouko," Tohru answered automatically, not realizing until it was too late that he wouldn't find a reference. What was she going to to? Apparently, Kureno had indeed believed Momiji's lie, but now he was about to discover the truth!

"This is unfortunate," Kureno said, releasing a long sigh. Tohru had already begun to panic. She crawled onto her knees, preparing to bow down before Kureno and beg his forgiveness.

"Well, I'll just have to start a new branch," he said, drawing a line on an empty side of the chart. Tohru froze halfway through her bow as she realized what he had done.

"I am ashamed to admit that I haven't been able to keep track of everyone, though I do put some of the blame on my predecessor. Akito was the one who first insisted that we keep better records of the births and deaths in the family. I suppose he has a vested interest in the affair, but I think it is a good practice nonetheless." He had just finished marking Tohru and her mother on the list. A bar had been placed next to her mother's name, along with the date of her passing. Kureno stared at it a long while.

"I hope this doesn't throw off my calculations too badly," he muttered, half to himself.

"I...I'm sorry?" asked Tohru, no longer sure what was happening or if she was still in trouble or not. She was disturbed by the sight of her name on the scroll, wondering if Kyo and Yuki's ancestors were even now cursing Tohru for the audacity of listing herself among their honorable kin. She wondered if there was any way for her to rub out the names without Kureno noticing.

The older man looked at her thoughtfully. "You were with Hiro and Momiji yesterday. I noticed that you saw the rabbit transform, but you did not act surprised. I assume, then, that you know of the curse?"

Tohru nodded. Wait, was she allowed to know? Yes, she was, because she was pretending to be a Sohma. But not all Sohna's knew about the curse, someone once told her. Even so, Akito knew that she knew, and he was okay with it. But he didn't know about Momiji's lie. Did that change things? 

Tohru felt her eyes spinning. Too much... there was too much to think about. What had she gotten herself into?

"We are still trying to understand the workings of the curse," explained Kureno, not noticing her discomfort. "One of the few things we _do_ know is that it works in a cycle, like the zodiac itself. All of the cursed ones are born within sixteen years of each other. This includes the _juunishi_, the cat, and the avatar." 

Kureno predicted Tohru's next question, and held up a hand to forestall it. He continued, "Just as they are all born within a certain span, so too will they all die within sixteen years of each other, beginning the cycle anew. This is always preceded by a period of great change in the Sohma clan; multiple unions, births, and deaths. Akito-san is the first to have realized the pattern, and so he has me pay very close attention to the signs. After all, he does not want to die too soon, and he will delay it as long as he can, although I'm not certain that is really possible. He can forbid marriages, but he cannot stop people from being born, or keep them from dying."

"Akito-san is one of the _juunishi__?_" asked Tohru in surprise. The possibility hadn't even occurred to her.

"No. He is the avatar. Our teachings say that he is the vessel for an ancient spirit of great power. That is why he is our clan head, though it takes a considerable toll on his health. Some say that his is the hardest curse to bear, despite the privileges of his rank."

Tohru had always felt sympathy towards Akito for his illness, despite the malice he once expressed towards her. Learning that his suffering was due to a curse made her take even greater pity on him.

"Why...why is there a curse?" Tohru asked him. "Everyone I've met here is so nice, so wonderful-" she paused to consider whether the same could truly be said about Akito. But he _had_ allowed her to keep her memories, and that had meant a lot to her. 

"Why would anyone want to curse the Sohma family?" she finished.

Kureno carefully rolled up the scroll and selected another from the pile. This one was much older; the parchment was yellow and cracked along the edges. He did not untie the black ribbon keeping it sealed, but stared down at the scroll in his hands as if he could still read was was written there.

"This is the first record that we have of the clan," he explained. "Even _it_ does not reveal all we wish to know. Some say that our ancestors were guilty of a great crime, and so many generations must now suffer in an attempt to atone for that sin. Some say that a rival family cursed us in jealousy, and that we will remain cursed until the last member of that family dies." He was silent for a long moment.

"What do you believe?" asked Tohru, wondering again where her sudden boldness came from. Kureno had revealed so much to her about the Sohmas that she had always wondered about, but was afraid to ask. He was like a book full of knowledge; a book that she just couldn't put down.

"I believe ours is a special case. There exist unique individuals who have the ability to perform minor curses--calling bad luck to a person just by knowing their name, or having the power to erase memories." Tohru flinched as she thought about Hatori's power, and how it had almost been used on her. The other example Kureno mentioned reminded her of Hanajima's brother. 

"But not everyone would have the power to cast a curse of this magnitude," Kureno continued. "Why should members of our family take the form of the _juunishi__? _ Why is it only triggered when those of the opposite sex make contact? Why include the cat? And what is the purpose of the avatar? That is what I cannot understand." He glanced down at his cup, noticing that it was still full and had gotten cold. He took a large sip anyways, then put it down and began gathering up the scrolls.

"You can stay here if you'd like and finish the tea, but I must be going. Akito-san will be expecting me."

Tohru didn't really have anywhere else to go, or anything to do back at the house, but she felt uncomfortable being on the estate alone. She got to her feet and helped Kureno clear the table.

"_Arigato gozaimasu_, Kureno-san," she replied with a bow. She was surprised to hear him echo the words.

"It was a pleasure, Sohma Tohru." Together, they exited the room.

"Are you sure she went in there?" asked Uo hesitantly, staring at the reinforced gate and the large number of guards patrolling the premises. None of that normally worried her; when she had been part of a gang, she looked forward to the chance to prove herself against such challenges. But there was something about the Sohma estate that kept everyone away, including would-be vandals; an unusual feeling that gave her the creeps even more than Hana's psychic powers.

"You saw her as well as I did," answered Hana calmly. Uo wondered if the denpa was simply immune to it.

They had spotted Tohru walking towards the estate, looking miserable and forlorn. They considered running after her, but when she stepped through the gate, they were forced to stay back, not having permission themselves to go inside.

"Why do you think she looked so upset?" asked Uo, sounding quite upset herself. She didn't like thinking of anyone hurting Tohru.

"It must have something to do with one of the Sohma's, considering where she has just gone. Maybe we should wait until she comes out and ask her."

So they had stood there waiting for half an hour. Eventually Uo convinced Hana that they should both hide a little out of sight of the gate so as not to draw the guards' attention. Hana found her suggestion amusing, saying that Uo was still thinking like someone in a gang. Uo ignored the comment.

"There she is," said Hana, spotting her first. "There is someone with her."

Uo couldn't believe her eyes. "Kureno...?"

Hana glanced at her curiously. "You know him? Come then, let's say hello."

Uo dragged her feet as Hana pulled her towards the gate. It was unnecessary, however, because the man abruptly left Tohru's side and began walking back towards one of the larger houses. 

They waited at the entrance until Tohru spotted them. For a moment, her features seemed frozen in shock, and perhaps a little fear. Then her usual cheerful expression took over, and she ran to the gate to greet her friends.

"Hana-chan, Uo-chan! It's nice to see you!"

Hana looked her over carefully. "Tohru-chan, is everything all right?"

"_Hai__!_ I just had an appointment with someone at the estate. It was nothing important."

"Oh?" asked Uo, feigning disinterest.

Hana glanced at her tall friend mischievously. "It seems Uo-chan already knows him," she told Tohru.

"Oh! You know Kureno-san?" asked Tohru, smiling brightly.

The blond threw Hana a dark look. "H_-hai..._" she admitted slowly. "He's been to the coffee shop. We've talked...a little." She quickly turned her face away. 

"Uo-chan, are you blushing?" remarked Hana, throwing a wink at Tohru. "Maybe you should ask this man to the prom? It's all right, I won't be hurt," she teased.

Uo fumed. "I'm not going to the dance with someone ten years older than me!" she shouted. "I'm not like Tohru!" Suddenly she realized what she had said, and her eyes grew wide in horror.

"T-Tohru.... I'm sorry--I don't know why I said that. I can't believe-"

"It's okay, Uo-chan," Tohru reassured her, smiling faintly. There had been a second, though, when Uo had seen a pained look across her face.

"Let's go to my house," Hana said suddenly, her tone no longer playful. "Tohru-chan, I've been asking my parents for a while now whether I could have you and Uo-chan visit for a sleepover. Do you think the Sohmas would mind?"

Tohru looked surprised. "I...I think it would be okay. Do you mean tonight?"

Hana nodded. 

Uo looked down at her curiously. This was the first she had heard of any plans for a sleepover. Perhaps this was Hana's way of quickly steering Tohru's thoughts away from her recent blunder. 

She threw Hana a grateful look.

"I'll have to ask permission, and make sure they have enough to eat tonight and tomorrow morning," said Tohru, already counting off chores on her fingers.

"I hope you can come," said Hana simply.

Tohru stopped counting for a moment to smile up at her two friends. "_Hai__!_ I will do my best! It should be a lot of fun." 


	6. Cigarette

**FRUITS BASKET: WHAT MUST BE DONE**

**by Vashkoda**

(Disclaimer: This work of fiction uses characters belonging to Takaya Natsuki and Hakusensha without their permission. I am getting no profit from it. I only do it because I think Fruits Basket is a great story, and I want to help keep it alive!)

---------------------------------------

Tohru found the house empty when she returned. She recognized the possibility that Yuki and Kyo were avoiding her on purpose, but she was surprised not to see Shigure. In case she was actually able to get his permission to stay at Hana's, she began searching through the cupboards to make sure there was enough food for them to eat in her absence.

There came a knock at the door, and Tohru sprinted towards it in relief. When she opened it, she was startled to see who stood there.

"Tohru-chan!" cried Kisa, running towards her with her arms already open for an embrace. Tohru knelt down and hugged the child, then smiled in welcome at their other visitor.

"Hello, Kagura-chan," said Tohru. Guessing at her intent, Tohru told her, "I don't think Kyo-kun is here, but he may just be hiding."

Kagura snorted at the news. "He's horrible at hiding. If he's around, I'm sure I'll find him. But that's not why we're here. Can we come inside?"

Tohru realized in dismay that she had kept them waiting on the doorstep. "_Gomen_, of course! Please forgive me, come in!" she said, bowing several times in apology.

"Are you all right, Tohru-chan?" asked Kisa meekly, holding the other's hand in a tight grip.

"Of course I am," Tohru smiled. "I'm even better now that you are here! Oh!-" she paused as she suddenly remembered why she had come back to the house. "I'm sorry, but I won't be able to stay here long. I was invited to spend the night with some friends from school. That is, I'm hoping Shigure-san will give me permission to go." She realized that she still needed to pack her clothes, so she invited the two girls to follow her into her room. 

"Tohru, did you go see Kureno-san today?" asked Kagura after carefully shutting the door behind them.

Tohru nodded, wondering how they had known.

"Hiro told me," said Kisa softly. "He said you had almost gotten in trouble yesterday."

"That _baka_ rabbit," growled Kagura, shaking her fist.

"No no, it's not like that!" said Tohru quickly. "And anyway, nothing happened. I think Kureno-san believed him."

As she sat down atop the bed, Kisa climbed onto it and curled up in Tohru's lap. Tohru was surprised at the amount of affection the young girl was showing. She seemed really afraid about something.

"Tohru-chan, you don't know what Kureno-san is like," sighed Kagura, taking a seat beside her. "He is more dangerous than he looks."

"Kureno-san...dangerous?" repeated Tohru in surprise. She remembered how afraid of him she had been, but that was because she thought he had discovered the lie. During her visit, he had actually been very kind and polite to her.

"He works directly under Akito-san. They tell each other everything, and if Akito found out you were doing anything wrong-"

"We were worried he might send you to Hatori-san," interrupted Kisa fearfully, looking up at Tohru with a pleading look in her eyes. "I don't want you to forget us, Tohru-chan!"

Tohru didn't know what to say. She never wanted to forget the Sohmas either, but if Akito decided otherwise, she didn't have much of a choice.

"Be very careful around him," Kagura cautioned. "If he invites you again, find an excuse not to go."

"And look out for any birds," added Kisa. "Kureno-san can talk to them."

Tohru gave Kisa a look of disbelief, before remembering the brown bird that had appeared in the library and seemed to pass Kureno a message.

"Kureno is the_ tori_ of the zodiac," Kagura explained. "As the rooster, he can speak to other birds and control them. Some say he also has another power, but we don't know what that is. Akito-san doesn't like him talking to the rest of us _juunishi_."

"Please be careful, Tohru-chan," repeated Kisa.

Tohru smiled at them and nodded, hiding the growing anxiety she felt inside. It seemed like the world had just been turned on its head. She no longer knew who to believe, or who to trust.

No one had heard the light tread of footsteps that stopped just outside Tohru's door as the girls had begun discussing Kureno. When the topic changed to other things, the footsteps resumed their steady pace until the owner disappeared.

The only remaining trace was a thin stream of cigarette smoke still hanging in the air.

"KYO!" shouted Kagura, a little louder than Tohru thought was necessary. When there was no response, she filled her lungs and prepared to shout again, before Kyo finally stumbled down the steps and walked into the kitchen.

"Where have you been?" asked Kagura accusingly. Kyo made it a point to stare back at her, avoiding looking at Tohru.

"I was taking a nap, is that a crime now?"

Kagura gave him a dubious look. "You could have come down to say hello to us. Now it's already time for us to leave."

"Really? What a shame," said Kyo with an obvious lack of sincerity.

"Kyo-kun, is Shigure-san around?" asked Tohru, feeling bad for asking him when she knew that he'd rather avoid speaking with her. 

With Kagura and Kisa watching, it would have been too rude for him not to answer. Reluctantly, he replied, "No, I haven't seen him."

Kagura noticed Tohru's downcast expression, and decided to take charge. "Kyo-kun, tell Shigure that he'll have to fend for himself tonight. Tohru-chan has plans to stay over at her friend's house."

Kyo's gaze fell on Tohru for a moment before quickly shifting to his cousin. "Fine then, she can go if she wants. It's not like we can't manage without her."

Without warning, Kagura leapt onto him and began furiously punching his face and chest. "You CAN'T manage without her you _BAKA NEKO! _ You men are a lazy, worthless bunch of SLUGS! And if I ever hear you insulting her again I'll-!"

She stopped suddenly when she noticed the bruises rising under his skin. Kyo moaned in pain, then crawled out of the way when she finally let him go.

"Oh, Kyo-kun, I'm so sorry!" Kagura said, moving closer.

"No, stay away you crazy freak!" he cried, hobbling out of the kitchen. It was obvious that Kagura wanted to follow him, but she finally consented and watched him go, shamefaced and heartbroken.

Tohru hoped that the fight didn't give Kyo enough cause to break off his date with Kagura to the prom. Tohru wasn't sure there was anyone else Kyo would ask, and she hated to think that he might be denied the chance of going to their last school dance. 

"Y-you're still going to the prom with Kyo-kun, right?" she asked Kagura, needing someone to assuage her fears.

The lines in Kagura's brow deepened. "He still hasn't asked me," she frowned. "But _you're_ going with Shigure-san, _ne?_" Tohru sensed that she wasn't the only one who needed reassurances.

_"Hai."_

Kagura smiled. "Well then, I'm not too worried. All I need now is to find my dress!"

Uo and Tohru stared at the dresses in wonder. They were not yet ready, but Hana's grandmother had already sewed the bodices and skirts together, making it easy to visualize the finished product.

Hana's dress was black with a low cut neckline and multiple layers of lace. Uo's strapless red dress would fit tightly around her long frame, with a large bow tie at the back that made Tohru think of butterfly wings. Tohru's own dress was white, and for a moment she had a flash of the dress Mine had made her put on in Ayame's shop. This one, however, was of a more modern style, with sequins woven into the fabric and the sleeves cut short. 

"We really should pay your grandmother _something_," Uo said to Hana, speaking softly both from awe and the need to avoid waking the rest of the sleeping household. "The materials alone-"

"They didn't cost much; my grandmother knows where to shop. Besides, I think she really enjoys making them. Especially yours and Tohru's--she knows that I wouldn't wear dresses like those, so this is a chance for her to experiment a little."

They crept back to Hana's room and finally decided that they were tired enough to go to sleep. Tohru and Uo rolled out their sleeping bags as they all bid each other good night.

But there was still one problem weighing heavily on Tohru's mind, and she finally realized that she wouldn't be able to get any sleep until it was resolved.

"Uo-chan...?"

"Mmmph?"

"You aren't actually thinking of going to the prom with Kureno-san, are you?"

"Ugh, I never said I was! Hana-chan made that up!"

Tohru heard Hana stir at the mention of her name. "Yes, Uo-chan, I admit it was a poor joke. I hope you will forgive me?"

Uo snorted. "Don't worry, I wasn't taking it seriously. Now how about we all get some sleep?"

There came a muffled affirmation from the direction of Hana's bed. Uo simply rolled over in her sleeping bag and kept still, but Tohru could tell from the sound of her breathing that it was taking her a long time to fall asleep.

Tohru too, felt troubled. She kept remembering Kagura's warning about Kureno being being dangerous, and that she should stay away from him. Were Tohru's friends also in danger? Would she have to tell Uo to avoid him? If so, what reason could she possibly give her?

And what was she to do about the birds?


	7. Cauchemar

**FRUITS BASKET: WHAT MUST BE DONE**

**by Vashkoda**

(Disclaimer: This work of fiction uses characters belonging to Takaya Natsuki and Hakusensha without their permission. I am getting no profit from it. I only do it because I think Fruits Basket is a great story, and I want to help keep it alive!)

---------------------------------------

Once again, Tohru stood silently on the wooded hill overlooking the house. This time, neither Hiro, Momiji, nor Kyo were with her. She was alone.

_No, not alone_, her senses told her. 

She looked up suddenly, expecting to find someone watching her from the branches above. The foliage was thick, and if there was anyone hiding behind the dark leaves, she could not see them. Wait--there.... There was a flicker of light, and she thought she spotted something reflecting it back to her...something that looked like two beady yellow eyes.

She dashed frantically back towards the house, her fear choking back her cries. As she kept running, the woods grew darker and thicker rather than opening into the familiar fields around Shigure's house. She must have made a wrong turn somewhere.

Tohru turned around, only to find that the trees surrounding her all looked the same. There was no sign of the path she had followed to get there.

Something large dove down at her from above, and she ducked and dropped to the forest floor, clutching herself tightly. She had squeezed her eyes shut, so she never saw what had attacked her, but she felt a gush of cold air on her face as it flapped away with powerful beats of its wings.

Tohru didn't wait for it to attack again. She jumped to her feet and ran blindly through the trees, not caring where she went as long as it was away from there. Her fear could only drive her so far, however, and soon she stumbled and fell hard against the ground. The tears came freely then, and she let them fall, wondering why this was happening and if anyone would ever find her.

Opening her eyes slowly, she saw something that made her freeze in fear. It was the monster that she had seen Kyo become, a hairless beast with rows of sharp teeth and gray skin stretched tightly over its misshapen body.

Tohru backed away slowly, and saw it follow her example. Pushing herself to her feet, she kept her eyes trained on it as she rose. It lifted itself up as well, watching her warily through its large reptilian eyes. 

"Kyo..." she said softly, wondering if he was here to help her. She reached her hand out towards him, and saw him reach for her too.

The monster's body rippled, and she drew back her hand, surprised to find the tips of her fingers wet. 

And then she realized where she was. It was the lake where she and Yuki had found Kyo after his transformation. 

Tohru had been kneeling against the shore, staring into the water.

Into her own reflection.

"Tohru-chan, are you all right?" asked Hana in concern. The three had decided to walk to school from Hana's house, but Tohru seemed unusually tired that morning and continued to lag behind. Despite this, she managed a brief smile of reassurance for her friends.

"I'm all right, Hana-chan. Just...a little tired."

Uo looked at her thoughtfully. "Maybe we kept you up too late last night? I know you're used to waking up and going to bed early."

"No no, I had a lot of fun!" she insisted. "Really! ...it was only a bad dream."

_Yes, it was a dream_, she repeatedly told herself. The whole bit about-- well, it was absurd, of course, and if nothing else, she knew that the sun couldn't have been shining at night. 

But despite those reassuring thoughts, she shivered slightly, drawing worried glances from Hana and Uo.

The day progressed from bad to worse as her teacher passed out large stacks of stapled together pages.

"What's this?" one of her classmates asked, waving his copy.

"These are your college application forms," the woman replied brightly. "You will be making appointments to see the counselors next week and discuss the options available to you."

Tohru tried to ignore the copy sitting on her desk. It was painful to look at, thinking that while many of her friends would go on to a university, she would be staying behind. It also made her think of her mother, and the promise she made to finish high school. Would she also have been expected to go to college?

"Are you all right, Honda-san?"

At first she thought the voice belonged to Yuki, for few people called her by such a formal title. She was surprised then to see that it was not Yuki, but the dark-haired boy who usually sat behind her in class. She remembered that his name was Kenta Miyamoto.

"I'm all right, Miyamoto-san, thank you for asking," she replied, bowing her head in gratitude. She was growing a bit flustered that so many people were asking how she was doing. Was she really that transparent?

Since she was now facing the back of the class, she managed to spot Yuki watching her. He quickly looked down at his desk and began rifling through the application papers. But she was sure she had seen him frown when Kenta had spoken to her.

The bell for lunch rang a few minutes later. Tohru felt in need of fresh air, so she hurriedly gathered her belongings and got up to leave. 

"Honda-san?"

It was Kenta again. He approached her hesitantly, looking down at her feet instead of meeting her gaze.

"I was...uh, wondering something. I know we don't know each other very well, and I...well, I was hoping maybe-"

"She is already going with someone."

Kenta and Tohru both turned in surprise to see Yuki standing beside them. The sight of the Prince caused Kenta to completely lose his nerve, and he backed away from them quickly, bowing and apologizing as he went.

"Yuki-kun...?"

Yuki had also turned around and prepared to leave. He stopped when he heard Tohru call his name.

"I just wanted to save him the embarrassment of asking you to the prom," Yuki said in a flat voice. They were the first words he had spoken to her since the night he had received all those flowers. "It's difficult enough to go up to a person and admit that you like them; always worrying about being rejected. But when you already know in advance that you have no chance... well, I just wanted to spare him that," he explained gruffly.

Tohru nodded automatically. _Kenta wanted to take her to the prom?_ What did that mean? Was she supposed to act kinder towards him now, or more reserved so that he understood that she wasn't interested? Should she buy him a gift in apology, or would that just make things more awkward?

She realized that Yuki had been standing there watching her as all these thoughts ran through her head, as if he were waiting for an answer. She tried to remember what the last thing was he had said, but before she could open her mouth, Yuki quickly spoke.

"You _are_ coming back, right?" he asked, his voice sounding higher than usual. Despite trying to appear nonchalant, he was obviously anxious about something. Tohru didn't understand why, and simply stared at him blankly.

"I mean, after spending the night at your friend's house. I hope you still decide to come back and live with us?"

"Oh, of course!" she assured him with a smile, though it quickly changed into a frown of concern. "I know there must be a lot of chores I need to catch up on! I'm sorry that I had to leave without cooking everyone their dinner. I hope-"

"That's all right, Honda-san," he answered with a curt nod. "I will see you later, then."

_"Hai,"_ she added, though Yuki had already moved too far away to hear her.

"So, what did you and Tohru talk about?" 

Yuki looked up from the water fountain to see Kyo standing there, leaning casually against the wall. Yuki decided to ignore him and finish his drink. As he straightened and turned away, Kyo called out after him.

"Hey! I thought we weren't going to talk to her?"

Yuki stopped and clenched his fists. He did not turn around.

"_Baka,_" he growled. "What you think this is--some sort of game? Do you think I'm avoiding her because I want to hurt her? Is that what _you're_ doing?" 

He heard the scuff of Kyo's shoes against the floor as the latter positioned himself to attack. Yuki smiled to himself, looking forward to releasing some of the tension that had built up that morning. It was hard for him to sit so close to Tohru during class and yet be unable to say anything to her. 

Kyo charged at him from behind, hoping to tackle Yuki to the ground. The _neko _was so predictable. 

Yuki waited until the last possible second, then slid to the side and crouched, swinging his leg out to trip the startled Kyo. His cousin managed to recover as he fell, tucking his body and rolling out of the way, then leapt to his feet.

"Then why do it?" Kyo asked in a low hiss. "Why don't you go and comfort her; tell her how much she means to you?"

Without waiting for an answer, Kyo jumped up and twisted his upper body to the left, causing his hips and legs to follow suit in a powerful crescent kick. Noticing the direction his upper body had turned, Yuki knew ahead of time what was going to happen, and shuffled to Kyo's other side, which his swinging arms had left exposed. Yuki did a palm strike to Kyo's spine, throwing the other off balance so that he couldn't recover in time to deliver a follow-up kick. 

"I am simply giving her space," Yuki explained calmly, as if they were discussing the matter over tea. "I know she feels uncomfortable around us, wondering whether we're angry with her about going to the prom with Shigure. You obviously are."

Yuki waited as Kyo repositioned himself, no doubt trying to decide what to try next. 

"_You're_ the _baka_," Kyo scoffed. "You think I don't see how hurt you are that she didn't choose you?" 

Yuki grabbed Kyo's arm and flipped him over his back. Kyo landed hard against the ground, not at all expecting the move and thus unable to brace himself from getting the wind knocked out of him. It was making it very difficult for Kyo to speak, although that could also be due to the pressure Yuki was currently applying to the _neko's _windpipe. Not enough to strangle him, but enough to force Kyo to admit that Yuki had won the match.

Kyo began making odd wheezing noises, and at first, Yuki wondered if he was maybe pushing a bit too hard against Kyo's throat. But when he saw Kyo's lips curve into a smile, he realized what it was. Laughter.

"It...seems I hit a nerve," he rasped, speaking slowly between breaths. "You pretend it doesn't hurt...but I see that it does. I don't care if she goes with Shigure. It's worth it...to see you lose for once...even if it isn't to me."

"Yuki, stop!"

Yuki barely heard the voice through the angry red haze clouding his mind. He felt strong arms pull him off Kyo and push him aside. The haze suddenly dissipated, and Yuki realized in alarm what it was he had almost done. 

"I thought you had a bit more sense, Yuki," said Kazuma reproachfully, kneeling down to help Kyo stand. "It was a good thing I was the one who spotted you. You very well could have lost your position as class president, and had a black mark placed on your record--not something you want on your college application."

Instead of his usual glare, Kyo watched Yuki with a smug grin of satisfaction. 

It was a small consolation to Yuki to see the red marks on his cousin's neck that would surely turn into bruises by the next morning.

"I am ashamed to be your teacher. Haven't I taught you not to fight outside of the _dojo_?"

Kyo and Yuki muttered in agreement, avoiding his gaze.

"Obviously the lesson hasn't sunk in. Well then, I expect to see both of you in my class this afternoon."

The two students exchanged a look of surprise. "But...but that's the beginner's class!" objected Kyo.

"And that is were you belong until you show me otherwise," frowned their _sensei._ "Oh, and I almost forgot the reason I came. I have a message for your friend Tohru--do you know where she is?"

"Tohru?" they repeated in unison, exchanging glares as they realized they had spoken together.

"Yes. Tell her that Hatori-san came looking for her at the house this morning, and was very disappointed to find she was not there. He would like her to drop by and see him as soon as she can."

"Hatori-san was at out house?" asked Yuki in surprise. "How come we never saw him?"

Kazuma shrugged. "He only spoke to Shigure, who told him your friend was at a sleepover. My guess is that the two of you were too busy fighting to notice him there."

"We were not!" argued Kyo. But of course there _had _been a fight, like every morning, though Yuki couldn't remember how this one had started. None of them had been in a very good mood after having to suffer Yuki's cooking the night before, and with Tohru gone, no one had thought to buy more milk.

"Please pass on my message. I must get going now to prepare for today's lesson. Don't be late." With those words, _sensei_ Kazuma strode purposefully down the hall and out of sight.

"Hatori-san," spat Kyo in disgust, though there was also a note of worry in his voice.

Yuki understood his meaning perfectly. A summons to the Sohma doctor was never good news.

Especially for someone who wasn't a Sohma.


	8. Cornered

**FRUITS BASKET: WHAT MUST BE DONE**

**by Vashkoda**

(Disclaimer: This work of fiction uses characters belonging to Takaya Natsuki and Hakusensha without their permission. I am getting no profit from it. I only do it because I think Fruits Basket is a great story, and I want to help keep it alive!)

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Tohru walked back from work in a tense and troubled mood. Sohma Hatori wanted to see her. There were only two reasons someone went to see Hatori. Because she wasn't sick, the only other explanation was that she was being sent to get her memory erased.

Kyo and Yuki had seemed just as upset when they gave her the bad news. But rather than go alone, they insisted that she wait for them to see Hatori. They would be practicing karate until late, so she was to meet them at the _dojo_, which wasn't very far from her workplace.

When she arrived, she was startled to see how many people were there. They were very loud, and Tohru cringed every time she saw someone flipped to the ground or get punched or kicked.

"It is nice to see you again, Honda Tohru. I was told you would be coming."

Tohru recognized Kazuma from the time they had been briefly introduced at Shigure's house. It was the same day Kyo had undergone his horrible transformation, she remembered.

"Good evening, Sohma-san," she said, leaning into a bow. She faltered as she heard a particularly loud shout, though it didn't sound like the person was angry or hurt.

"Are you all right, Honda-san?"

_"H-hai,"_ she said nervously as she straightened. "I...I just don't like to see so much fighting."

"They won't hurt each other when they know I'm watching," Kazuma assured her. "_Karate_ is an art form; a means of expression, and you learn a lot about someone by studying their style. For instance, what can you tell me about Yuki from watching him fight Kyo?"

Tohru reluctantly looked up at her two friends. They were tirelessly repeating the same move over and over, and though the younger students practiced with slow hesitation, Yuki and Kyo flowed back and forth almost seamlessly, as if they were performing some kind of odd dance. There were small differences in the way they executed their attacks, and she noted these to Kazuma.

"Yuki keeps his left arm close to his chest, as if he's getting ready to block something there."

Kazuma nodded to her. "Yes, Yuki has a weak lung, and a blow to the ribs on that side could send him into painful spasms. What about Kyo?"

Tohru watched closely, but could see nothing distinctive about Kyo's style. "He...just fights hard," she said lamely, blushing at her words. "_Gomen_, I'm sorry--I just don't see it."

"No, don't apologize--that's exactly it," the sensei said with a smile. "Unlike Yuki, Kyo fights without concern for his own safety. He does not hold back, and attacks with everything he has."

"That does sound like Kyo-kun," Tohru agreed. "But if his attacks are stronger, why doesn't he win?"

"Ah," said Kazuma, and then he was silent for a long moment. He turned to address the class.

"Everyone, I want you to practice free style with your partner. Begin."

The fighting immediately intensified between Yuki and Kyo. Most of the younger students paused in their own exercises to stare at the pair.

"Now, watch closely," Kazuma told her.

Kyo lunged at Yuki, who instantly pivoted to his right side. Rather than move towards the weaker left side, Kyo aimed his blow at what was closest, which happened to be where Yuki had already prepared all his defenses. Yuki blocked the fist coming towards his right, reaching with his hands to grab the arm as it flew past him and use Kyo's forward momentum to pull him off his feet. Thus disabled, it took only moments for Yuki to pin the arm behind Kyo's back and force him to his knees.

"All right class, that's enough. Bow to your partners and come to the front of the room."

The group quickly assembled into two straight lines before Kazuma and bowed as he called out the ritual words that ended their session. As the students raced off to different corners of the _dojo_ to gather their belongings, Kazuma asked Tohru if she had discovered the answer to her earlier question.

"I'm not sure...but I think Kyo doesn't know about Yuki's weak side."

"It seems obvious, doesn't it?" reflected the _sensei_. "But Kyo is not a strategist; he simply sees what he wants and goes for it. This rashness, this _impulsive behavio_r, comes from the heart; therein lies his weakness. Yet it also gives him courage, and that is his greatest strength. Kyo doesn't fear pain, but then he also has a hard time realizing that others do. I will not tell him this, though. It is something he must learn on his own." 

"Honda-san, are you ready to go?" asked Yuki, coming up behind her.

"Hai! _Arigato gozaimasu_, Sohma-san," she said to Kazuma, bowing. He smiled and returned the bow.

Kyo and Yuki said their farewells to the _sensei _and accompanied Tohru outside. It was a long, slow walk to the estate, but none of them were in any hurry to get there.

"Kyo-san, Yuki-san, Honda-san," nodded Hatori as they entered his office. He didn't seem at all surprised to see his younger cousins there. 

"We're not leaving Tohru alone with you," Kyo warned him, daring the doctor to tell them otherwise. Hatori smiled wanly, his tired expression making him appear much older than he was.

"I'm afraid I must insist. There are exams and consultations that require strict doctor-patient confidentiality." When it seemed like his cousins were about to protest the matter, Hatori added, "Not to mention that it may be awkward for her to have you there watching when she is undressed."

That shut them up right away, he noticed. Kyo's jaw dropped as he gaped at Hatori for several wordless moments, while Yuki's embarrassed gaze darted everywhere except at Tohru.

"I promise I will not harm her, and her memories will remain intact," he told them somberly. "You can wait here. It shouldn't take long."

He nodded at Tohru, indicating she should follow him as he opened the door leading to the examination rooms. She put on a brave face for Kyo and Yuki, then turned to follow him down the hall. Tohru gave a small start as she heard the door close and the lock click into place. There was no turning back now.

"Please sit," he told her, indicating a bed-like surface with a white sheet draped over it. Tohru obediently climbed onto it and dangled her feet over the edge. Her fingers clutched the armrests so hard that they were turning white.

"Relax, I just want to talk to you."

Tohru nodded, though her body was still shaking. "_Gomen,_ I'm trying my best."

Hatori sighed. "I'm sorry for calling you here. I wanted to talk with you privately, but you weren't at home, and the matter is somewhat urgent. Kureno-san wanted to talk to you himself, but worried that after what some of our younger cousins have told you, you might be too scared to see him."

The anxiety left Tohru's face, only to be replaced by looks of confusion, embarrassment, and finally, determination.

"I think I know why Kureno-san wants to see me," she admitted softly. "When he saw me in the estate library, Momiji told him that I was a Sohma so that we wouldn't get in trouble. I know it was wrong, and now he must have found out it was a lie and is very upset." Hatori noticed a tear streaming down her cheek.

"Tohru-san, Kureno knew from the beginning that it was a lie. He is not upset with you for that."

"_N-nani?_" she said, choking back more tears. "But then...why didn't he say anything?"

Hatori frowned, telling her truthfully, "I don't understand half the things Kureno-san does. He may simply have found the whole situation amusing, or he may have had an entirely different reason only he knows about." Hatori walked over to the window and opened it, peering through to make sure no one was outside before taking a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it. In deference to his patient, he let hand holding the cigarette dangle through the window.

"I wish you could just speak to him directly, but even he admits it would not be wise to do so any time soon. Akito has been watching him more closely."

Tohru shuddered. "I don't know if I want to see him. Kureno-san scares me."

Hatori took a long drag from his cigarette and grimaced. "Is this because of his other ability?"

She frowned at him. "You mean the birds?"

"No. His ability to sense death."

This took Tohru completely by surprise. Hatori realized this and muttered a curse under his breath. "I thought you knew."

Tohru shook her head. Hatori crushed his cigarette against the sill and flicked it out the window. He came up to Tohru and sat beside her.

"The rooster has always been associated with death," he explained to her. "The Christians' bible says that Jesus's disciple denied him three times before his death, each time marked by a rooster's crow. The legends of the basilisk monster say that it can be killed by the crow of a rooster. The rooster resembles a phoenix, also a legendary creature associated with death and rebirth. And each morning, the rooster announces the death of night and the birth of a new day. So you see, it was not all that surprising that Kureno too, has some of this ability."

"But...what does it mean, about him sensing death?" Tohru asked, completely bewildered.

"It means he can tell when someone is about to die. That is why Akito-san keeps him so close. You know about the curse, and how Akito, Kyo, and all of the _juunishi_ will die soon after one another?" Tohru nodded solemnly. "That is why he is worried," Hatori continued. "Because of his condition, he should have died long ago, but he is being kept alive on very expensive drugs and treatments. He is cheating death, but he will not be able to do so once the curse has started killing the _juunishi_. Then he will have no choice--the curse always finds a way. Of course, I am doing the best I can to keep him alive. After all, his death would trigger my own."

"So...what does any of this have to do with me?" Tohru asked him. "Why does he want to speak with me?"

Hatori wished he still had his cigarette. He drew a long breath and answered, "Because he has finally sensed that we are about to die." 

"_Nani?_" cried Tohru, almost falling off the bed. "Now?! Soon?"

"Soon," the doctor replied. "We don't know when. Within the year, most likely. Kureno decided not to tell Akito-san; it would only put him in a fouler mood. He could go so far as to force abortions on all the pregnant women in the clan just to make sure there are no new births through which the curse can be transmitted upon the death of a _juunishi._"

"That's horrible," said Tohru, aghast. "Yuki-kun, Kyo-kun...all my friends. _You_, Hatori-san! I don't want any of you to die!"

"That is why if we are to have any chance, the curse must be broken before anyone dies. That is why Kureno-san wanted to speak with you. I do not know if you have noticed, Tohru-san, but you have had a great impact on this family. The curse takes a heavy toll on a _juunishi's_ spirit, yet you have managed to lift that burden, and it has been felt even by Akito himself. I think that he, too, believes you might be the one to finally break the curse. That is why you have been allowed to keep your memory for so long."

"But...but I don't know how to break it!" she cried. "What am I supposed to do?"

"If I could tell you, I would," he said apologetically, giving her a meaningful look. "But I advise you not to tell Yuki, Kyo or any of the others about this. If nothing can be done, it could only hurt them to know about it in advance."

"_H-hai_," she said, trembling as she slid off the bed and stood up. Hatori guided her to the door, which he unlocked and opened. She could see Yuki and Kyo jump to their feet and stare at her worriedly as she came through.

"Are you all right, Honda-san?" asked Yuki.

"You still remember us, right?" asked Kyo.

"I kept my promise," frowned Hatori, offended that they hadn't believed him.

"Let's go home," said Tohru, without any explanation. The others were only too happy to oblige.

Hatori watched them leave, then heard the sound of someone coming up behind him.

"Did she get the message?"

Hatori turned around and saw Kureno standing there.

"I told her as much as I could. You know that I couldn't tell her _everything_."

Kureno waved his hand dismissively. It annoyed Hatori to see the man care so little about how much others might suffer. Hatori himself was a doctor, after all, and had made an oath to do no harm.

"The hardest choices must be made of one's own free will," was all he said.

Hatori nodded. "Have you had any more _feelings_ telling you when it might happen?"

Kureno shook his head. "When my gift has no answers, I turn to the facts, dear cousin. The records I study show that there is always a birth in the clan at the moment of a _juunishi's_ death. And since--being the family doctor, you would know when someone has conceived, and say there are currently no pregnant Sohma women--we can be sure of at least nine months of respite before we truly need to worry."

Hatori frowned. "Akito's condition is growing worse. If you ask me, I don't think he even has that long."

"You're the doctor," Kureno shrugged, though Hatori could tell that the news worried him.

He sighed and reached for another cigarette. _I really should quit,_ he thought to himself. _But if I only have nine months to live, what the hell does it matter?_

"The curse always finds a way," Kureno muttered. They were the same words Hatori had spoken to Tohru that night. Of course it wasn't exactly a revelation to any of the _juunishi_. The curse was complex, almost to the point where there seemed to be an intelligence guiding it past the obstacles they put up against it.

"It_ is_ pretty damn smart," Hatori agreed, blowing out a puff of smoke. "But it still has to play by the rules. That's the one chance we've got."

As she walked alongside Kyo and Yuki, Tohru couldn't help thinking that it might be the last night they would all be together. Before, she had worried about them being apart once the Sohmas went off to college, but now she had just learned that her friends might not even have that long.

"What are you thinking about, Honda-san?" asked Yuki.

"Huh? Oh, uh...the prom," she invented quickly, knowing she couldn't tell them the truth.

"Oh," was all that Yuki said, and Tohru realized at once her error. The prom was still a sore subject, and for good reason. But now that it had been brought up-

"Who are you going with, Yuki-kun?" she tentatively asked him, hoping that he was indeed still going to the dance. She wanted all of her friends to be there and enjoy themselves.

"He's going with the president of that stupid fan club," Kyo answered for him. 

Yuki glowered at his cousin, then admitted reluctantly, "It was the only way to get her to stop sending me flowers."

Kyo had a big laugh at that, but Tohru only smiled sympathetically. The girl had seemed a little eccentric, but at least it showed that she really did care about Yuki.

"I'm glad...I'm glad that we will all be together," smiled Tohru, and she was pleased to see Yuki and Kyo smile back at her in return. It made her so happy to have them talking to her again. She let her worries slide away, and decided to just enjoy the moment. They were together, for now at least, and that was what was important.

author's note: _Next chapter: the prom!_ You'll have to wait a bit though 'cause I have a report due this week. -_-;; Thanks again to those of you who keep sending reviews!


	9. Cruel

**FRUITS BASKET: WHAT MUST BE DONE**

**by Vashkoda**

(Disclaimer: This work of fiction uses characters belonging to Takaya Natsuki and Hakusensha without their permission. I am getting no profit from it. I only do it because I think Fruits Basket is a great story, and I want to help keep it alive!)

---------------------------------------

Tohru's smile was so wide that she felt like her face was about to split in half. 

Simply put: it was wonderful. The large banquet hall at a classy downtown hotel had been transformed into a festive ballroom. There were streamers and balloons hanging from the ceiling, with multicolored spotlights sweeping across the dance floor and a professional DJ on the stage. At the sides of the room were tables covered in flowers and glittering confetti, holding glasses and bottles of cider and non-alcoholic champagne. A photographer stood close by taking pictures of friends and couples, looking stunning in their fine suits and long, beautiful dresses. 

But most importantly, Tohru was with the people she cared about most. She locked arms with Uo and Hana and skipped happily around the room, the Soumas trailing behind with their escorts. Neither Yuki nor Kyo seemed particularly pleased with their dates, and their gaze tended to stray to Tohru and her friends rather than the girls beside them. Of course Tohru noticed none of this, and after a thorough exploration of the room, she returned breathless to the table that Yuki, his fanclub president, Kyo, and Kagura had selected. 

"I can't believe how pretty everything is!" Tohru exclaimed, clapping her hands in glee. 

"Not as pretty as _you_ are, Tohru-chan!" 

They turned around to see Shigure walking towards their table. The rest of them had arrived in a limousine, but the novelist had preferred to drive himself instead, _'giving the young lovebirds some privacy',_ as he put it. That comment had sent Kyo chasing after Shigure with a broom, while the rest of them just blushed and avoided looking at one another. 

"Arigato, Shigure-san," said Tohru as she bowed. "But it's really the dress that's special. Hana-chan's grandmother made it. I am really very grateful to her," she added, glancing at Hana. 

"Oh? I assumed this was one of Aya's. Your grandmother does excellent work." 

Hana nodded seriously. "She will be very pleased to hear that. She is also a big fan of _your_ work." 

"Really?" said Shigure with a pleased grin. "Well then, I simply _must_ meet her." 

Kyo stuck out his tongue and made a face. "Ugh, don't you ever quit? That woman's probably over a hundred years old!" He suddenly noticed black sparks rising above Hana's head, and quickly excused himself and fled from the table. Kagura got up as well, calling after him. 

"Sure, it looks nice and all, but this music is really lame," yawned Uo. "We need something fun and fast paced, not all this slow dance crap." 

"You're just saying that because you don't have a boyfriend," shot back Yuki's date, clutching his arm possessively. The girl gave Tohru a smug look. 

"Stop saying such childish nonsense," frowned Yuki, freeing himself from her grip as he stared down at her angrily. She shrank back from him, her expression hurt. 

'Kyo-kun, be nice to the young lady! She's right, why don't you two go dancing for a bit? That's why you're here, _ne?_" asked Shigure, waving his hand casually at the dance floor. His tone, however, made it clear that this was not just a suggestion. 

"Fine," growled Yuki, scraping his chair loudly against the floor as he rose. The fanclub president gasped as he grabbed her wrist, but his hold was gentle, and he led her to the center of the room where other couples had gathered. 

Shigure sighed and stretched his legs out across Yuki's now vacant seat. "I sense it's going to be hard work, managing this crowd. The job of a _school dance chaperone_ is never easy. There is pain and suffering and torment lying in wait for me. But I must be brave; I must carry out my sworn duty!" 

As he said this, he stood up on his chair and pumped his arm into the air, his voice rising to a shout. Thankfully, the music was loud enough that most people around them hadn't noticed. 

"Um ...right," said Uo, backing away from Shigure. "Well, if I have to dance to this sappy stuff, I...uh...might as well get started. Oh look, carrot-top's managed to lose his date. I'd better grab him before he escapes." 

Before anyone could say anything, Uo was gone. Shigure didn't seem to mind. Tohru was disappointed at losing Uo's company, but then she told herself that her friend would be having fun dancing with Kyo, and that made Tohru feel a little better. 

"Aren't you going to go dancing too?" Shigure asked Hana. 

"That's all right," the denpa shrugged. "I'd rather just sit here and watch." 

_"Nani?"_ cried Shigure in astonishment. "_No no_, watching is _my_ job. You're supposed to be out there having fun! Go on, shoo shoo," he said, prodding her out of her seat. 

"But-" 

"Ah yes, a dance partner," said Shigure, rubbing his hands together schemingly as he wandered among the students. "Let's see.... _OUT OF THE WAY, CHAPERONE COMING THROUGH!_ Yes, that's it, move a little please--ah, you there. Yes _you_, come here." 

Tohru was surprised to see Shigure pull Kenta Miyamoto out of the crowd. He motioned Hana forward. 

"Here, this poor fellow was standing all by himself. Why don't you keep each other company?" 

"But-" 

"Er-" 

"Come on, _chop chop! _ Your chaperone has spoken!" cried Shigure in a dramatic tone. 

Hana and Kenta slunk away from them to disappear among the dancers. 

"Goodness, I thought they'd never leave," gasped Shigure, taking a seat across from her. "Now we can finally be alone, Tohru-chan!" 

Tohru didn't quite know how to respond to this, so she said nothing. 

"First off, I really must apologize for forcing you to accompany me to the prom." 

Tohru blinked in surprise, quickly protesting, "No no, Shigure-san, I'm not upset! This way I can-" 

"Yes, well, I admit my company is rather marvelous," continued Shigure with a wink, not letting Tohru finish. "But I think it was unfair to make you stay with me when you would have surely preferred Yuki or Kyo-kun, _ne?_" 

"Oh...well...-" 

"But you must understand, at the time, I thought it was in everyone's best interests that you not be forced to choose between them. Whoever won would be so smug as to be completely insufferable." Shigure sighed and shook his head as he poured himself a drink. Staring into his glass, he added, "And whoever lost...well, it would be very hard on them." 

Tohru began to feel mildly uncomfortable. She had a sense of where this was going, but she tried her best to deny it. "I don't understand. What are they winning? What would they lose?" 

Shigure looked up from his glass to stare at her in surprise. "Why..._you_ of course. In the end, you can only be with one of them. You cannot love both." 

"But...but I do!" Tohru insisted. "I love Kyo-kun, Yuki-kun, all the Sohmas! You are my like my family!" 

"Yes, well...I don't mean love _that_ way," Shigure amended, taking a sip of the champagne and grimacing when he realized it was non-alcoholic. He glanced at Tohru to see if she understood. 

Tohru was beginning to grasp Shigure's meaning. Her growing blush told him as much.

"Kyo-kun and Yuki-kun would certainly like your relationship to develop into something more...well, _romantic_. And in that sense, you must choose one or the other. Tell me, Tohru-chan, if I had not asked you to the dance, who would you have chosen?"

Tohru was at a loss. Her attention shifted to the napkin being nervously shredded between her fingers.

"You realize that they may not have much time," Shigure prodded, causing Tohru to look up at him in surprise. "Yes, Ha-san told me. That is why I've come to realize it might be best to finally ease their young hearts and have the matter decided. They've been patiently waiting for you to make your choice, Tohru-chan, but now they've run out of time. Will you grant one of them the blessing of your affections for what little time he has left?"

It was all so cruel. Cruel that the Sohmas should suffer under the curse when they were such wonderful people. Cruel that they would soon die...unless-

"But Hatori-san said I might be able to break the curse," she interjected hopefully.

"That would fantastic," agreed Shigure. "But do you have any idea how?" Tohru shook her miserably. "Then if the worst should happen, it would be best to at least grant them this small favor. Who would you choose, Tohru-chan?"

Cruel that she should be forced to decide.

Uo hadn't really wanted to dance with Kyo--she just wanted to get away from the freaky man at their table. She didn't know how Tohru was able to stand the guy, but then, Tohru was _extremely_ tolerant. Uo hoped that at least this Shigure fellow would leave Tohru alone and not begin treating her like some prize. Uo was watching out for that. If he began parading Tohru on his arm and asking her to dance, Uo was ready to go over there and teach him some manners.

So far, it seemed like they were just talking. That was innocent enough, so Uo let her gaze momentarily wander across the room. There was Kyo, still hiding behind a cluster of people, looking out for his date. Uo decided to head over there to keep up her pretense in case Tohru should spot her.

As she focused her attention back on the table, she was startled to find that Tohru was no longer there! The man still was, which was of some comfort to Uo. She followed the direction of his gaze and spotted Tohru walking slowly to the other side of the room. Where could she be going?

Then Uo noticed Yuki standing alone at the far end, directly in Tohru's path. Tohru was going to speak to the Prince! Was she going to ask him to dance? The carrot-top would be furious!

Uo glanced back at Kyo. He hadn't noticed Tohru yet, but it wouldn't take long. Uo felt a momentary surge of pity for the boy. There was also a growing concern that if he saw what was going to happen, he might go over there and attempt to interfere.

Uo planted herself directly in Kyo's line of sight with Tohru. With her hands on her hips, she demanded, "Well, aren't you going to ask me to dance?"

Kyo looked annoyed. "Go away, yankee! I don't have time for your annoying little jokes."

"Who said I'm joking? I want to dance. So come on!" She grabbed his arm and turned him around so that his back was now to Tohru. Uo's view of her was also blocked, so Uo just had to hope and pray that everything went well for her friend.

"Let go! I don't want to dance!"

"If you don't, I'll tell your girlfriend you were hiding from her, and then I'll help her find you."

Kyo glowered and grumbled, but acquiesced. Uo soon began to enjoy herself, and not just because she knew that she was tormenting Kyo. Despite the curses he muttered nonstop under his breath, Uo was pleased to find that he was actually a pretty good dancer.  


She loved them both equally. No matter how many ways she looked at it, they both meant a lot to her, and she couldn't value one person over the other.

But Shigure had said that she must choose. He said they had both been waiting for Tohru to do so, and now they were almost out of time.

_Was he right?_ she wondered. Did they really love her _that way?_

Maybe not. Or maybe it was more important to one than the other that she choose him. In that case, it would be best that she pick the one it would mean the most to.

Yuki, she remembered, had given her a White Day present. Kyo had not. Yuki had also recovered her mother's picture from the mudslide. And he had shared with her his passion for gardening, and grown strawberries for her.

Kyo had never been very open with her, but she had always just assumed that he was a very private person. His curse hadn't allowed him to make many friends, and that made him naturally suspicious about everyone and everything. Tohru understood. She let him learn and grow at his own pace. Unfortunately, it also meant that she didn't know him quite as well as she felt she knew Yuki. And so she wasn't totally sure just what his feelings for her were.

Yuki then. 

Tohru took a deep breath and began walking.

Author's Note: See, I told you she would eventually have to choose! Or has she? Hmm....


	10. Champagne

**FRUITS BASKET: WHAT MUST BE DONE**

**by Vashkoda**

(Disclaimer: This work of fiction uses characters belonging to Takaya Natsuki and Hakusensha without their permission. I am getting no profit from it. I only do it because I think Fruits Basket is a great story, and I want to help keep it alive!)

Author's Note: There are only 2-3 more chapters left in this story. Assume nothing! Trust no one--oh wait, wrong show. =P Thanks again for all the positive feedback! You guys are the best.

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"Honda-san?" 

Yuki was surprised to see Tohru coming towards him alone. The teen looked around for Shigure, spotting his older cousin still seated at their table. The man gave Yuki a wink and a thumbs up. 

Yuki turned back to Tohru in confusion. She looked up at him expectantly, waiting for Yuki to make the next move. 

"So.... Are you ...having fun?" he asked slowly, trying to find something to say.

"Oh- _hai__!_" answered Tohru quickly. She seemed surprised at his question; obviously she was waiting for him to ask something else. He watched the other students out of the corner of his eye, and got his inspiration.

"Would you like to dance, Honda-san?" He bowed slightly and presented his hand to her. Tohru blushed at the gesture, causing him to blush as well. Did he look foolish? How could he know--_he'd never done anything like this before!_

"_Hai!_ That should be fun!" she agreed, taking his hand. Her smile gave him courage, and he led her to where the other couples had already gathered near the stage.

As they danced, he noticed quickly that Tohru felt uncomfortable. Her movements were very slow and hesitant, and she kept him away at arm's length. 

"It doesn't seem like you're having much fun. If you'd like, we can stop," Yuki told her, feeling slightly let down.

"_Gomenesai_, Yuki-kun," she apologized. "I've never danced like this before. And I'm worried that I might stumble into you and make you..._you know_," she said, waving her hands and sounding flustered.

"Ah. Well I appreciate you concern," he smiled, feeling somewhat relieved. "In fact, that's why I had to leave my date after our first dance. She was trying to get too close, and I was afraid of what might happen."

"Oh!" exclaimed Tohru worriedly. "Where is she now? It must seem awfully rude for me to be dancing with her partner. I have to find her and apologize-"

"You will do no such thing," said Yuki sternly. "It's time she grows up and realizes that I'm not in love with her, nor will I ever be." His heart ached with the desire to tell Tohru that it was _her_ that he really loved, but he feared how she would react.

"Oh," said Tohru thoughtfully, and was silent until the end of the song. Suddenly the rhythm began picking up, the music blending into one of the more popular songs currently playing on the radio. Yuki let go of Tohru, at a loss of how to continue their dance when the beat was going so fast.

"I love this song!" Tohru giggled, clapping her hands and jumping up and down as other kids were now doing. Yuki stared at them all in surprise.

"C'mon, join in!" she laughed, grabbing his hands again and guiding him through the moves. Tohru had lost all her past shyness, whereas Yuki was now the one dancing uncomfortably. Didn't the other students care how silly they looked? How could something like _this_ be considered dancing?

Yet he had to admit...it _was_ kind of fun.

As the fast-paced music continued, Yuki began noticing how hot and stuffy the room had become. He saw that Tohru's face was flushed.

"Would you like to cool down outside?" he asked her, having to shout over the music.

Tohru nodded. He led her out of the banquet hall and past rows of guest rooms. At the end of a long corridor was a lounge area he had spotted earlier, opening onto a small wooden balcony.

"Let's go out here," he suggested, sliding open the glass door. She followed him out and sighed in relief as a cool night breeze took away some of the excess heat.

"Feeling better?"

"Mmhmm," nodded Tohru, smiling. "I'm really having a wonderful time. Aren't you, Yuki-kun?"

Yuki hesitated. A short while ago, Tohru had been dancing in his arms in what was traditionally the most romantic night of the school year. She had walked over to him willingly--_him_, _not Kyo_. And now they were alone. 

He worried that his good fortune had already been stretched to the limit. But would it really be asking for too much if he-

"Hond-...Tohru-chan," he said slowly, realizing that there was no need for formalities between them any longer. Indeed, maybe there hadn't been for a long time. "Would it be all right if...if I kissed you?"

He expected shock, embarrassment, denial--perhaps even a little outrage. He was surprised, therefore, when she nodded timidly, and even initiated the move by leaning in towards him.

It was like embracing pure sunshine. The heat from the dance was nothing compared to the warmth of Tohru's touch. Her light rushed into him, chasing away all the dark corners of his soul that had been filled for so long with loneliness and fear. Her breath filled him with life, and he felt his heart almost burst with joy.

It was over in a moment, but in that span, he felt like he could have lived several lifetimes. Indeed, he felt as if he had just been born anew.

It was confusing. She knew, deep inside, that none of this made any sense. That should have tipped her off. But at the same time, her thoughts were clouded, and her mind refused to make logical connections. Until she could prove otherwise, therefore, she was forced to assume that _this was really happening._

The flowers in her hand were important. She didn't know how she knew this, but she accepted that it was true. They would have a very big impact on whoever she gave them to. That was her choice to make.

She was in the woods again. Raindrops were falling hard against the muddy ground, yet somehow they didn't touch her or the others around her. Although it was night and the clouds shrouded the moon, there was still enough light to see by. She recognized Yuki in the nice black suit her had worn at the dance. Likewise, she expected to find herself in her prom dress, but looking down, she was surprised to see that she wore instead the princess outfit she had tried on at Ayame's store.

Lying on the ground a few feet away was Kyo. Hatori kneeled beside him, pressing down on the boy's sternum as he performed CPR. He was dying. Tohru knew this, but again she did not know how she knew.

"Kyo's weakness is his heart," Hatori explained, although he was speaking in _sensei_ Kazuma's voice. "Don't worry, Kyo doesn't fear pain," he reassured her. Indeed, Kyo's face was free of any emotion. He looked already dead.

A large black raven settled onto the branch above her head, shaking some raindrops loose. "Who do you choose, Tohru-chan?" it cawed, somehow managing to sound like Shigure.

Tohru knew that she was almost out of time. Her eyes fell on Kyo, watching his life slip away, and she hurriedly made her decision. She joined Hatori at Kyo's side and rested the bouquet of flowers on his chest.

Hatori turned to look at her sharply. Speaking in his own voice now, he demanded, "How can any of us be savedif you _refuse to do what must be done?"_

_"N-nani?"_ she asked him, terrified by the look of disapproval on his face. And then suddenly... it was gone. The rain had washed all the features from his face. It was like looking at an unfinished doll that had Hatori's general shape and size, but was still waiting for the toy maker to paint on its new face.

"Honda-san?"

Tohru turned to look at Yuki, but his face had also washed away, turning him into an empty shell. Tohru gasped in fright. 

And then she detected the rotting odor she had smelled only once before. Backing away, she looked down with the expectation of seeing Kyo become the monster once again. But to her surprise, Kyo's body had disappeared completely, leaving a large indentation in the mud that was quickly filling up with rainwater. 

An image shone upon the puddle's turbulent surface. It was in that reflection that she finally saw the monster. It too, wore a frown of disapproval, made all the more frightening by its rows of glistening fangs.

And then a rooster crowed.

Tohru bolted awake. As she sat up in bed, clutching the sheets around her tightly, she thought she could still hear echoes of the rooster's cry.

_It was just another bad dream,_ she told herself firmly. _Everything's all right. No one's going to die._

But that wasn't really true, was it? Hatori had told her that the Sohmas didn't have much longer to live.

Needing to clear away the horrible memories of the dream, Tohru rolled out of bed and walked over to the small television set Shigure had bought for her room on her last birthday. Tohru flipped through the channels quickly, pausing when she saw the chart of the weekly forecast.

For months now, they had had warm, clear weather. It was the reason Tohru had encouraged the Sohmas to spend so many afternoons outside. According to the forecast, however, that would soon be changing.

Tuesday would be the season's first day of rain. That was only three days away.

She remembered how the weather had been stormy in her dream. Did that mean something?

Someone knocked on her door. Realizing that she didn't look very presentable in her night shirt, Tohru hastily slipped on her robe. 

"Come in," she choked, discovering that she still hadn't recovered from her recent fright.

Yuki opened the door slowly, making sure that it was safe to come inside. He smiled at her warmly as he saw her, then entered the room carrying a tray of strawberries, chocolate and two glasses of milk.

"Good morning, T-Tohru-chan," he said, still stumbling over the familiar form of her name. He lowered the tray onto the nightstand beside her.

"Good morning, Yuki-kun," she replied, blushing in appreciation of his gift. She couldn't help but avoid looking at his face, however. The dream was still too fresh in her mind.

"Are you all right, Tohru-chan? You don't look too well." He reached out to feel her forehead. Tohru shivered at the touch. 

"Maybe I should make you some soup," he suggested, sounding concerned. "Then again, maybe it would be better that I get the _neko_ to cook," he chuckled, making fun of his own poor skills in the kitchen.

It was strange to see Yuki laughing so openly. It delighted Tohru to see him this happy, yet she realized in dismay that she didn't feel well enough to join in his good cheer.

"No, thank you, Yuki-kun. I think... I think maybe I should go see Hatori-san instead."

The mirth was suddenly gone from Yuki's face. Wanting to see Hatori meant that her condition was serious.

"Are you sure? Then I will go with you."

Tohru was about to protest, but she could think of no excuses why he couldn't at least accompany her to the office. Then she had an idea.

"All right," she nodded. "But I would like Kyo-kun to come too."

Yuki frowned at her suspiciously. "Why do you want that _baka_ along?"

"Yuki-kun," she began, hoping that he would understand, "I know that last night changes things...between us. I don't deny that it happened; I'm very glad it did," she reassured him quickly. "But Kyo-kun is still my friend. I don't want him to be upset over this. It's a happy thing for the two of us, but don't you see, it can only cause him pain."

_Don't worry, Kyo doesn't fear pain_, a voice in her head whispered. She tried her best to ignore it.

"I don't care if he's not happy about it," grumbled Yuki. "The_ neko_ does nothing but cause me problems. Why should I try to make his life easier?"

"Please, do it for me?" she begged him, realizing that she was using her leverage unfairly, but knowing no other way to make him agree. She rarely asked for anything, which she knew would make it harder for him to refuse her request. 

Yuki continued to frown. "So you want us to pretend like nothing happened?"

"Only around Kyo-kun," she amended. "Not forever...just until he has a chance to get used to the idea."

She was surprised that they had even managed to keep it a secret from Kyo last night. The fan club president had chosen to go home with her friends, allowing Yuki and Tohru to sit next to each other and hold hands during the ride back. To Kagura's annoyance, Kyo had spent the entire trip unconscious, snoring loudly in the back seat. Shigure later confided in Torhu that he had snuck in a bottle of real champagne and had talked Kyo and Uo into challenging each other to a drinking contest. Kyo had apparently no tolerance whatsoever, and fell asleep right after his second glass. Uo had gone on to finish the bottle.

"So when will you tell him?" Yuki challenged her. 

"Soon," she assured him. "Just, not right away. Please?"

Tohru could see Yuki's fists clench as he suppressed his anger. "Fine," he growled. "I'll go find him."

Tohru was alone in her room once more. She wondered briefly if she had really woken up, or if this was just another part of the nightmare....


	11. Chase

**FRUITS BASKET: WHAT MUST BE DONE**

**by Vashkoda**

(Disclaimer: This work of fiction uses characters belonging to Takaya Natsuki and Hakusensha without their permission. I am getting no profit from it. I only do it because I think Fruits Basket is a great story, and I want to help keep it alive!)

Author's Note: This is sort of a transition-episode, so I'm sorry that nothing too exciting happens here. Be warned, however, that the next chapter will be LONG. In fact, it may be the last chapter (it depends on how long it becomes). 

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"I don't know what to tell you, Honda-san." 

"But...but my dream! What if it means Kyo will be the first to die, and that it will happen during this week's storm?" 

Hatori flicked the embers of his cigarette out the window, letting his gaze wander briefly over the clear afternoon sky before turning his attention back to his patient. 

"It's only _rain_," he reminded her gently. Tohru was once again in the Sohma doctor's examination room, while Yuki and Kyo waited patiently outside. 

"_Gomenesai_, I know I sound foolish," confessed the girl, wringing her hands nervously. "But you said everyone believed I might be the one to break the curse. What if that means my dreams are special? What if they are a warning?" 

He seemed to reflect on this for a moment, then gave her a helpless shrug. 

"I examined Kyo as you asked me to. I could find nothing physically wrong with him. His heart is in good condition." 

"But Kazuma-san said-" 

"I don't think Kazuma was speaking literally, Honda-san. He tends to see the more spiritual side of things, rather than the realistic side." Hatori sounded almost angry, as if he didn't like to talk about the karate instructor. "_Gomen_, Honda-san, but I've done all I can for you," he said, not quite managing to hide the frustration from his voice. 

"_Arigato gozaimasu_, Hatori-san," said Tohru quickly, not wishing to upset the doctor further. She followed him back out into the waiting room. 

"Let go!" 

"Not until you learn your lesson!" 

Tohru was startled to find both Yuki and Kyo grappling with each other as they rolled across the floor of Hatori's office. Yuki suddenly twisted to the side, flipping Kyo over him so that he crashed against the wall. There was now a long crack in the plaster where Kyo's head had struck. 

"Stop this! What's the matter with you?" shouted Hatori. His angry cry was enough to separate the two combatants, who scrambled to their feet. Yuki looked slightly abashed, though Kyo continued to ignore everyone but his cousin, glaring at him furiously. 

"I just finished giving the two of you physicals. Yuki-kun, I had better not have to do another exam on Kyo-kun to see if you've broken any of his bones!" 

"_Gomenesai_, Hatori-san," said Yuki apologetically. "I forget how fragile Kyo-kun is." 

"Oh yeah? _I'll show you_-_"_

"Stop it!" barked Hatori before the two teens could resume their fight. Throwing them a warning glare, he turned to Tohru and muttered, "The cat and mouse are cursed to never get along, but in my opinion, the real victims are those who are forced to live with them." 

Thinking of the repairs constantly being made on Shigure's house, Tohru silently acknowledged the doctor's point. But Kyo and Yuki were also two of her dearest friends, and she counted herself blessed for having met them. If they got into a little trouble now and then... well, it was really the fault of the curse. They couldn't help it. 

The curse. Though it had once seemed a minor inconvenience to the Sohma family, Tohru knew that the consequences were much more dire. That same curse now threatened their very lives. Hatori had told her that many believed she would be the one to break the curse, but how could she accomplish such a thing? Hatori didn't even believe in the dreams, which so far had seemed her only source for answers. 

Maybe she needed a second opinion. 

"Thank you for your help, Hatori-san," bowed Tohru, quickly leading the two boys outside. She knew that the doctor would be pleased to see them all go. 

"So why did we have to get physicals, anyways?" grumbled Kyo, rubbing his bruised head. 

"Weren't you paying attention?" asked Yuki scornfully. "Hatori-san said he wanted to make sure none of us had caught Tohru-chan's flu." 

Kyo narrowed his eyes at Yuki suspiciously. "Since when have you stopped calling her _Honda-san?_" 

Yuki sputtered indignantly, trying to find an explanation. Tohru quickly jumped in. 

"I asked him to. It was a little silly for him to keep calling me that when everyone else at school calls me Tohru." 

Kyo glowered, not fully convinced. Then something caught his attention. 

"Wait a minute, why are we going deeper into the compound? The gate is back _ that_ way." 

Tohru blushed. "_Gomen_, Kyo-kun, Yuki-kun. But I was hoping I might be able to visit the library while I was here." 

"How do you know about our library?" asked Yuki in surprise. 

"Well..." said Tohru, wondering how much she should tell them. After a pause, she reluctantly admitted, "I've actually been there twice before." 

_"Nani?"_ asked Kyo, his jaw hanging open. Yuki appeared similarly stunned, but said nothing as he waited for her to explain. 

"Momiji-chan and Hiro-kun showed it to me. I...I just need to check something. It will only take a moment." 

Yuki looked doubtful. "Are you certain this is wise, Tohru-chan? If Akito-san found out, we could all be severely punished. No one except the family is allowed inside the library." 

"I'll be very quick," she promised him. She would never dare try going in alone, but if she had a Sohma with her, it might not look quite so suspicious. 

"Well, you two can go get yourselves in trouble if you want," growled Kyo in irritation. "I'm already on Akito's black list, and I'd prefer to avoid more attention." 

He headed towards the gate, looking over his shoulder as if he expected Yuki to follow him. 

Yuki seemed to consider Tohru's suggestion, though he did not appear all that pleased with the idea. Kyo made a sound of disgust and stomped off alone. 

"I will go with you, Honda-san," he said nervously, automatically shifting to her old title. 

"_Arigato_, Yuki-kun," she replied gratefully. They hurried towards the forbidden library. 

Yuki stood at the entrance, leaving the door open a crack so that he could peer out and see if anyone approached. He motioned for Tohru to quickly take care of whatever it was she needed to do. 

When she disappeared down the aisles of bookcases, Yuki felt a pang of disappointment. A small part of him had hoped that Tohru didn't really have anything to search for at the library; that she really only wanted a chance to spend time with him alone in a secluded spot. He blushed at the thought, and chided himself for being so stupid. Tohru wasn't like that. _He_ wasn't like that. Though if she had actually asked him- 

He felt his cheeks burning and quickly turned his thoughts to something else. 

He heard a moan of dismay at the back of the library. Suddenly worried, Yuki abandoned his post to search for Tohru. 

"What is it?" he called out as he finally spotted her. He had feared they'd been discovered, but he saw no one else standing beside Tohru. 

"Kureno-san.... He isn't here." 

Yuki did a double take. Kureno? 

"Tohru-chan, why would you think Kureno-san would be here? He doesn't leave the main house. He must always attend to Akito-san." 

"But he was here before! I had hoped...." her voice trailed off as her head hung low in disappointment. 

Yuki pressed a hand against Tohru's brow, wondering if the flu was making her delirious. "Tohru-chan, maybe we should return now to Shigure's house. You shouldn't exhaust yourself when you're ill." 

"Maybe you're right," she said in a defeated tone. "I only wish-" she paused to stare at a roll of parchment that had been left open on the table. Yuki glanced down at it only long enough to see it was a long list of names, then lifted his gaze back to Tohru. She wore an expression of dawning realization. 

"What is it?" he asked her. 

"I think-" she began, still staring at the scroll. "Kureno-san left this for me to find. And I think I understand his message." 

Yuki suppressed a sigh. "All right then, I really think it's time we go home." 

To his relief, Tohru did not argue. They waited until the courtyard was clear, then ran down the library steps and into the safety of the shadows. 

Yuki volunteered to pick up Tohru's graduation robes and turn in her textbooks, insisting that she spend the rest of the day in bed. 

When he arrived at the school, he soon got the feeling that something was not quite right. It took him a few moments to figure it out, and when the realization came, he was quite literally stunned. 

His fan club was nowhere to be found. 

His actions at the prom must have upset the president so much that she disbanded the club. The thought of no more girls screaming his name down the halls came as a great relief to him, though he also felt a small pang of regret. 

Yet what did he need fans for, now that he had the love of the only girl that ever mattered to him? 

As he waited in line, Tohru's friends, Uo and Hanajima, anxiously walked up to him. They were concerned by Tohru's absence, but Yuki quickly reassured them that she had been to a doctor and should be fine after several days. 

By late afternoon, Yuki finally returned home. He dropped the bag with their caps and gowns and climbed up the stairs to check on Tohru. Noticing that her door was closed, Yuki pressed his ear up against it. He could hear voices, but as he listened, he realized that it was only Tohru talking in her sleep. 

He went back to his own room and lay on the bed, trying to find things to occupy himself. Ignoring the scratches on the roof from Kyo's restless pacing, Yuki found himself quickly falling asleep. 

By the time he awakened, the sun was just peeking over the nearby hill, throwing a shaft of dawn light directly onto his pillow. Yuki groaned and rolled out of the covers, wondering if it was worth trying to get more sleep. Suppressing a yawn, he decided to check on Tohru again. He hoped she was feeling better, and that maybe today they could spend some time together. 

Tohru's door was open, so he risked peeking inside. To his dismay, the room was empty. 

As he lumbered down the steps, still half-asleep, he spotted Kyo sipping from a carton of milk. Kyo watched him warily out of the corner of his eye. 

"Where's Tohru-chan?" Yuki asked, taking a seat at the table. He didn't bother adding an insult, feeling too tired to come up with anything creative. 

"What am I, her sitter?" snapped the cat. With a growl of disgust, Kyo slammed the fridge door closed and left the kitchen. 

Yuki waited for Shigure to appear, but it seemed his older cousin had already left for the day. Yuki went back to his room to get ready for school, hoping that when he was done, he would find Tohru. 

But Tohru was nowhere to be found. 

Kyo had already gone ahead. Yuki waited for as long as he could, knowing that he would now have to run to avoid being late, but there was still no sign of her. 

When he opened the classroom door, just as the bell rang, he half-expected to see Tohru there waiting for him. 

"What happened? Did you lose her on the way to school?" asked Kyo reproachfully. But Yuki could tell that he too was worried, as were Tohru's friends when they ran into each other at lunch. 

"Maybe Shigure had to drive her to the hospital," suggested Kyo, voicing a concern that had been on Yuki's mind as well. 

"No, he would have woken us up," said Yuki, trying to reassure Hana and Uo. 

"Maybe it's the work of that president and her groupies," growled Uo. "I wouldn't put it past her to try and get even with Tohru for what happened at the prom."

"What do you mean? What happened at the prom?" asked Kyo in confusion.

"The important thing is that we make sure Tohru is okay," said Hana, quickly changing the subject.

But despite their efforts, no one managed to find Tohru for the rest of the day. There was still the small hope that she was with Shigure, for he too, had gone missing. 

At the stroke of midnight, the door to the house swung open. Yuki and Kyo bolted out of their seats where they had been keeping a silent vigil, waiting for Tohru to appear.

They saw at once that it was Shigure, slumped forward in exhaustion. There was a haunted look in his eyes that silenced the two cousins before they could utter a word about Tohru.

"Foolish....foolish girl," the man muttered, collapsing into a chair.

"What happened, Shigure-san? Is Tohru-chan all right?" asked Yuki, unable to keep silent any longer.

"You went with her!" Shigure cried, glaring at Yuki accusingly. "You should have known better! Both of you!" he said, his gaze now encompassing Kyo as well.

Kyo swallowed hard. "I did-didn't do anything."

"That's my point! You should have stopped her! Now she has gone too far, broken laws even Akito could not forgive, were he so inclined--_which he isn't!"_

Yuki stared at Shigure in sudden realization. "Akito found out about the library...that Tohru has been there," he said slowly. "But there was no one else there! Nobody saw us!" he cried in defense.

"No human eyes saw you," said Shigure, shaking his head. "But there was a small sparrow taking shelter under the rafters."

Yuki and Kyo exchanged incredulous glances. Tohru had tried to tell Yuki that Kureno had been visiting the library. He should have been more careful! 

"So...what happens now?" asked Kyo worriedly. "Where is Tohru?"

"Hopefully, somewhere very far away from here," answered Shigure, rising from his seat. "Tomorrow, the estate guards will be sent out on a hunt for her. Akito-san is adamant about having Tohru-chan punished and her memory erased. I'm afraid there will be no leniency this time."

He marched up the stairs without another word, leaving the two younger cousins to stare at each other in horror and despair.


	12. Conclusion

**FRUITS BASKET: WHAT MUST BE DONE**

**by Vashkoda**

(Disclaimer: This work of fiction uses characters belonging to Takaya Natsuki and Hakusensha without their permission. I am getting no profit from it. I only do it because I think Fruits Basket is a great story, and I want to help keep it alive!)

*note - this version is edited to correct a few typo mistakes

Author's Note: This may get a bit confusing, so I thought I should warn you that this chapter will be told in flashback sequence. That is to say, it will begin with one of the final scenes in the story, then go back to the events leading up to it, with intermittent returns to the final scene. Why am I doing this? Because if I told it in order, it wouldn't be as exciting/shocking (which is how all the characters (except Tohru) will experience this moment. Tohru knows what is coming, so seeing everything from her POV would just spoil it for you). So here we go. Note that although this is technically the last chapter, I'm planning on posting an epilogue from Tohru's POV, which will hopefully explain what you've missed and show her outlook on the future.

_And now for the conclusion...._

---------------------------------------

The night sky thundered as a chill wind blew through the open walls of the gazebo.

Yuki edged closer to Tohru and asked her again if she was cold. Tohru smiled back and answered for the third time that she was fine. She knew that her dress didn't appear to offer much protection against the damp night air, but the many layers of lace and silk actually kept her quite warm. 

Yuki smiled at her in encouragement. Despite his confident, in-control appearance, Tohru could sense that he was nervous and discouraged. Many people would have considered the weather a bad omen and called the whole thing off. But circumstances for them were different. They could not afford the luxury of waiting.

"Oh good, he made it," sighed Yuki in relief, brushing past her to greet the man shaking rain off his umbrella. 

If Tohru hadn't been expecting him, she might never have recognized Kazuma. He wore a dark maroon robe and a tall black cap, with a gray cloak slung across his left shoulder. A beaded necklace and silver pendant hung from his neck. Rather than comment on his strange appearance, Tohru and Yuki respectfully watched as Kazuma arranged stone figurines and candles on the benches around them. He chanted softly as he worked, dipping his hands multiple times into a ceremonial bowl of water. Yuki knelt down and helped him place sticks of incense around the small statues. 

Tohru looked out towards the hills on the eastern horizon. It was almost time.

Yuki pounded his fist angrily against Shigure's door. How could his cousin just walk away after giving them the news about Tohru? Yuki couldn't sit still all night and hope Tohru managed to elude Akito's guards. He needed to know more; he needed reassurances that she was alright.

His frantic knocking yielded no response. With a sigh, Yuki abandoned the door and headed for his own room. There had to be something he could do. There had to be a way for him to help. Tohru was his girlfriend now...at least, that's what he had assumed since their kiss at the prom. But when he actually stopped to think about it, there had never been any formal acknowledgement from either of them. Had that kiss really meant anything to Tohru? She had almost seemed ashamed of it; insisting that they keep it a secret from Kyo. Why wouldn't she want them to openly declare their love for one another?

Maybe he had only imagined that she cared for him. Maybe that was why she could allow herself to leave so suddenly, without even a kiss goodbye.

Yuki kicked the door open and threw himself onto his bed. Tohru obviously didn't want his help. He meant nothing to her. 

With a long sigh, he reached over to his nightstand to set the alarm clock--

--and paused. There was something white lying on the stand that he didn't recognize. He propped himself up on his elbows and reached over to take it.

He recognized Tohru's handwriting in the hastily scrawled 'Yuki' at the front of the envelope. He tore it open and let the note inside drop onto the pillow.

_YUKI-KUN,_

_I'm sorry that I had to leave so suddenly. I'm sure Shigure-san has told you what happened, and why I needed to run away. Please don't be angry, and don't think for a moment that I've forgotten you or what you mean to me. I love you, Yuki-kun._

_That's why I dare ask you such a great favor. Shigure-san agrees that this might be enough for Akito-san to stop hunting me. He is angry because I saw secrets in the library that only your family is allowed to see. But if I become a part of your family--_

_I know it's a lot to ask, but Yuki-kun...will you marry me?_

_I wish I did not have to force you to decide this way. I wish there was more time, but the guards will soon come after me, and I will never be able to come back._

_It's unfair that I should ask so much from you. That's why if you decide not to do it, please believe I understand, and that I will still love you. _

_If you agree, however, please come to the Pearl Shrine an hour before dawn. I have made the necessary arrangements. I cannot wait much longer after sunrise; Akito-san's guards might find me._

_Please don't tell Kyo-kun where you're going. If this works, we will let everyone know; I promise. But in case it doesn't, I don't want to get their hopes up, and I don't want to see them hurt._

_I hope to see you soon, but if not, thank you for being such a wonderful person!_

_-love,_ _Tohru_

Yuki glanced at the clock. It was almost four in the morning. If he left now, he might just make it to the shrine before dawn.

He rose from the bed and began selecting his best clothes. His movements were automatic, as if someone else were controlling him, while the rational part of his mind was reeling with the enormity of what was about to happen. _Marry Tohru?_ Of course, it was something he had always dreamed about, but never planned out seriously. After all, they still had their whole lives ahead of them. It was only a few days ago that they had shared their first kiss. To think about marriage so soon was absurd!

Yet crazy or not, it was about to happen. Yuki took a deep breath to steady himself. There was no room for second thoughts. Was he committed to this?

_Yes, I am_, he realized. A glance through the window told him that it was going to rain, so he reached into the closet for his coat. A brief look in the mirror told him that everything was set. Now it was time to act.

He couldn't let Kyo see him, so he decided to sneak out by crawling through his cousin's window. Yuki knocked just in case Kyo was inside, but the room was thankfully empty. He quietly lifted up the bottom panel of the window, leaving enough room to crawl through. Earlier in the year, Shigure had installed a ladder leading to the roof and down to the garden from Kyo's window, complaining that Kyo tore off the ivy and shingles every time he tried climbing the wall himself. It now served Yuki's purpose perfectly.

The mouse scampered down the ladder and raced off into the forest.

As they took their final sips from the sacramental cups, Tohro stole one last look at the horizon. Morning light filtered through the thundering clouds, but the ceremony was now only minutes away from completion. 

She listened for noises from the surrounding brush. Any moment now... provided things went according to plan.

Kazuma dripped holy water over them as he chanted. But Tohru had already blocked out his voice. Her ears were listening for a different sound.

Kyo allowed a soft groan to escape his lips as he lay huddled on the sofa, trying to keep himself from shivering. He didn't need to look out the window to know that thick black clouds covered the sky. The roiling mass drained every ounce of strength from his body, which normally put him into a deep sleep for the rest of the day.

But this time he had to stay awake. Tohru was in danger, and if she came to the house for help, he wanted to be there for her. He still couldn't believe that she had run off without saying a word, not even a goodbye. She probably wanted to spare them any worry over her, but if anything, not knowing made it that much harder. It was just like the girl not to think things through, just causing that much more trouble for everyone.

Kyo growled in annoyance. How could Tohru be so thickheaded? Hadn't she learned a thing from living under their roof these last few years? Why didn't she grow up? When would she learn to be responsible? How did she manage to...

How did she manage to make him feel so special? What kind of spell did she use on him that made his heart race every time he was near her? 

He heard the light tread of footsteps approaching the front door, and bolted to his feet. Could it be-?

The simple effort of rushing to the door made him lightheaded. White specks floated in his vision, so that at first all he saw was a female silhouette waiting on the threshold.

"To-hru?"

"Kyo-kun! You look terrible!"

He almost allowed himself to collapse into the arms reaching out to embrace him, until he realized at the last moment that it wasn't Tohru. He shrank away, almost stumbling to the floor.

"Ugh, Kagura-chan, what are you doing here? I don't have the energy to deal with you right now." As he spoke the words, he worried that he had already said too much. Knowing that he couldn't fight back might actually encourage his cousin to stay longer.

"KYO-KUN, YOU UNGRATEFUL BRUTE! I came all the way here to see how you were doing and this is how you treat me?" The girl seemed to grow twice her size, with fangs sprouting from her mouth and fire blasting out of her eyes. "Oh, why did I ever fall in love with such a miserable little...!"

Her words trailed off into silence as she noticed Kyo feebly raising his arms in defense. Kyo hated himself for looking so weak, but the danger from Kagura's rages was very real, and in this state, he didn't think he'd survive.

"Kyo-kun, you should be in bed! Here, let me help you."

Despite his faint protests, she grabbed one of his arms and lifted him across her back. As she carried him up the stairs, he marveled at just how strong his cousin was. No wonder her punches hurt so much.

But when she led him to his bed, he refused to lie down. He couldn't fall asleep now. What if Tohru came by?

"What's this?"

Kyo glanced up as Kagura reached for a white envelope that had been left on Kyo's desk. Without asking, she ripped it open and scanned the note inside.

"Give it here! It's mine!" growled Kyo, his anger giving him the momentary strength to snatch it from her grasp. Kagura didn't try to stop him, though a frown of disapproval crossed her face as she watched him read the message.

_KYO-KUN,_

_I'm sorry that I had to leave so suddenly. You tried to warn me that I might get in trouble, and now I am. I'm very sorry that I didn't listen to your good advice--this is all my fault. I have to leave now before I get anyone else in trouble. _

_But if it's all right, I would like to see you one last time. If you don't come, I'll understand, but if you do, it will make me very happy!_

_Please come to the Pearl Shrine at the edge of the woods exactly at sunrise. After that, I have to leave before people come looking for me._

_I hope to see you soon, but if not, thank you for being such a wonderful person!_

_-love,_ _Tohru_

Kyo clutched the card tightly in his fingers. Tohru was nearby, and she wanted to see him! _Him_, not Yuki! She called him wonderful, and signed her name 'love'. 

"Kyo-kun, you can't go out to see her. Not when you're like this," said Kagura, though her words sounded empty, as if she already knew that arguing with him was pointless.

"Help me up," he muttered, realizing that he lacked the energy to even stand. She didn't move, frowning down at him as if to emphasize how foolish he was to journey to the shrine when he couldn't even get out of bed. At last Kagura seemed to take pity on him, and took his arm without saying another word. 

She guided him down the steps, pausing now and then to let him gather his strength. As they reached the door and stepped outside, Kyo looked up at the dark sky, reassuring himself that dawn was still a ways off. He would see Tohru, and maybe at last he could tell her how she made him feel. With any luck, maybe she would tell him that she felt the same way. Maybe they would run away together, escaping the lies and deceit that surrounded his family's dark secrets.

But what about Kagura? He stole a quick glance at his cousin, who was still supporting him as he limped towards the woods. It would be unfair to Kagura to bring her along when he and Tohru were together; not to mention awkward. Yet he was forced to agree with her that he was in no shape to make the trip alone. So what was he supposed to do?

His mind went over all the possible scenarios as the two of them slowly made their way through the woods.

"Almost there," panted Kagura, who by now had grown exhausted from the effort of supporting both their weights.

In answer, a flash of lightning briefly lit up the sky, followed almost immediately by the crash of thunder. Kyo looked grimly up at the sky.

"Don't think about it," cautioned Kagura, somehow finding the strength to double their pace. Kyo's attention was now completely focused on keeping one foot in front of the other, avoiding snagging his shoes on loose rocks and tree roots.

With another peal of thunder, drops began falling from the sky. Kyo let out a desperate moan and sagged against his cousin's shoulder.

"No! Come on, Kyo! Just a little further!"

So weak... But he was almost there; just a few steps more and he would see Tohru! Then he could tell her... tell her....

An opening in the trees gave him his first glimpse of the shrine. The wooden gazebo stood on a pair of stilts, allowing it to rise over the circle of stone markers erected around it. Bowls of dried fruits and other small offerings lay undisturbed at the foot of each stone, meant as offerings to appease the spirits watching over the Sohma family.

But what caught his eye was the glow of candlelight at the center of the gazebo. The open walls allowed Kyo to see inside and recognize the people there, and what they were doing.

"T-Tohru..." he gasped, dropping to his knees. Her betrayal sent a stab of searing pain to his heart. He jerked spastically, crying out as his body collapsed against the muddy ground.

"KYO!" screamed Kagura, futilely reaching out to stop his fall. She dropped to his side, lifting up his head and wrapping her arms around him tightly. 

"Please don't scare me like this, Kyo," pleaded Kagura. "Please get up! If you do, I promise I'll never bother you again! I'll leave you alone, just like you've always wanted."

He made no reply. The only sign he was even still alive were his ragged breaths, growing ever slower and far between.

Yuki raised his head and looked out into the forest.

"What was that?"

He had seen Tohru jump as the frightened cry rang out. Even Kazuma had paused in reciting his liturgy, though they had almost reached the end. Yet Tohru seemed to ignore his question, keeping her gaze focused on the ceremonial candle. Kazuma too, made no move to investigate the noise.

Yuki rose to his feet, but Tohru quickly clutched his hand to keep him from moving. He could tell from her expression that she wanted him to stay. But Yuki had been experiencing a growing unease since the beginning of the ceremony, and wondered if maybe there was more going on here than he was being told.

"We're almost there," Tohru said, her voice sounding unusually strained. "Please, Kyo-kun, we have to finish the ceremony. It's almost sunrise."

Yuki glanced up at the sky. Dawn light was indeed just beginning to rise over the hills. The sun would not be long in coming.

"I do."

Yuki realized in surprise that they had come to the end. Kazuma was already repeating his question for Yuki.

"Sohma Yuki, do you take Honda Tohru as your wife, accepting her into your family as your loving companion, to share in all you have, good and bad, no matter what the spirits have in store for you?"

Hatori looked up from his book as he heard a soft pecking sound coming from the office window. He rose to his feet and paused in surprise to stare at the small form huddled against the sill. Without another thought, he raced towards the window and opened it wide enough for the sparrow to hop inside and take shelter from the cold.

The Sohma doctor presented his open palm to the bird, which hopped onto it without hesitation. He noticed the fragment of parchment tied to its leg and bit his lip in consternation. What could Kureno want with him this time?

Deciding he had best get it over with quickly, Hatori delicately unfastened the note and held it up to the light. To his surprise, the sparrow leapt down immediately and spread its wings, gliding gracefully through the gap he had left in the open window. So...whatever this was about, Kagure wasn't expecting a reply. 

He squinted as he read the small writing:

_HATORI--IT BEGINS. UNLESS YOU SAVE HIM, THE CAT DIES AT DAWN--PEARL SHRINE. _

Hatori held his breath without realizing it, rereading the message several times before he could make himself put it down. What did Kureno mean? How could he know?

But then, Kureno was the rooster. It was his business to know. Hatori had to believe that his cousin was telling the truth. 

So what did he expect Hatori to do? How was he supposed to save Kyo? The curse could not be blocked; once it had chosen a victim, he or she was doomed to die. No doctor or medical procedure had ever managed to forestall a _juunishi's_ death, or bring them back to life.

But why would Kureno have sent him the message, unless there really was a chance that Hatori could save him?

Hatori rushed to gather supplies into his medicine bag, wondering if he was bringing the right equipment. _How_ was Kyo supposed to die? The answer was paramount to ensuring Hatori had the necessary tools at hand to save him.

A peal of thunder caused him to look out the window, and suddenly he remembered Tohru's visit two days earlier. She had tried to warn him that Kyo might die during the storm, due to some weakness of the heart. Finding nothing wrong with him upon examination, Hatori had dismissed the whole thing as nonsense, but now....

He cursed himself as he began packing a portable ultrasound device, defibrillator, and bottles of nitroglycerine and heart stimulants. Kureno had warned him that it might happen soon. Why hadn't he paid closer attention? Why hadn't Kureno given him more information?

_Because if you knew too much, you might have interfered, _he thought to himself, knowing that it was the truth. He remembered Kureno's words to him: _the hardest choices must be made of one's own free will._

He rushed outside just as drops began falling from the sky. Thick rain clouds obscured the horizon, but Hatori knew that a faint glow was already gathering over the eastern hills. There was very little time left before dawn.

The Pearl Shrine was on the Sohma property, deep in the woods that connected the main estate to Shigure's house. There were only two ways to get there--drive all the way around the forest until he reached the stream that led to the shrine, or cut through the woods directly on foot. He hesitated over which was fastest, until a third option presented itself to him. The doctor spotted Hatsuharu's mountain bike leaning against the wall of one of the outer buildings. It was just like the absent-minded teenager to leave his things lying around. 

_Bless you, Haru-kun_, thought Hatori gratefully. He fastened his bag to the back of the bike and quickly adjusted the seat for his height. He braced himself, then took a deep breath and pushed off, speeding down the dirt path. He clenched his jaw against the bumps, gripping the handle bars with all his might. Under the shadow of the trees, it wasn't long before he was forced to activate the bike's headlamp, struggling to find his way in the darkness.

He peddled as fast as he could, imagining the sun crawling slowly up into the sky, just as Kyo's life was slipping away. His heart raced from the exertion and his growing anxiety. What if he was going the wrong way? What if he was too late? What if he couldn't find a way to save Kyo?

A wave of nausea came over him, and Hatori fought hard to shake it off. His grip on the handle bars loosened. He found himself growing faint.

He knew what was happening, and struggled to reach into his pocket for a cigarette. _Calm,_ he must remain _calm_. If he transformed now, it was all over. He would never reach Kyo in time.

_If Kyo dies, you die_, he reminded himself. Once the new cycle began, each _juunishi_ had at most sixteen years to live. But then, that wasn't what really bothered him, was it? 

_I'm the clan's doctor. I'm responsible for their health and well-being. It's my duty to do all I can to save them--every one of them._ He had sworn an oath. He could do no less.

The brush before him parted suddenly to reveal a steep slope of loose rock, giving him no time to veer aside. The sudden jolt from the rough terrain caused the box of cigarettes to slip from his hand. He couldn't worry about them now--he focused all his attention on slowing his descent.

The brakes weren't enough. Hatori sped faster and faster down the slope, whose edge disappeared into darkness. Then he saw that the darkness was actually empty sky, and that he was about to make a fantastic leap over the cliff and down into the forest below.

He realized that Kureno was wrong; that Hatori himself would actually be the first _juunishi_ to die. Or was that what Kureno meant in his message? Was Hatori saving Kyo by taking his place?

The thought strengthened him, banishing his fear as he stared out defiantly at the approaching sky. His efforts would not be in vain. He would not fail them.

Hatori sailed over the cliff. 

Kazuma and Tohru both held their breaths as they waited for Yuki to speak his vow. 

The boy stared searchingly into Tohru's eyes, looking for answers. She opened her mouth several times as if to say something, then quickly changed her mind. It seemed she had braced herself to accept either outcome. Yuki knew that she wanted him to be certain of his choice, with no doubts clouding his decision. 

Yet he did have doubts. The trouble was, he knew that she would not tell him any more than she already had. He either had to believe the deception was for his own good, or that she was manipulating him somehow for her own selfish reasons. But why would she do such a thing? It simply wasn't Tohru's way. He had to trust her. He had to trust his heart.

He squeezed her hand, and felt her grasp his tightly in return.

"I do."

Then everything turned into chaos.

Kagura gasped as she heard a pain-filled cry coming from the shrine, then jumped as she felt Kyo stirring beneath her, mumbling incoherently before falling completely still. She shook him several times, panicking when she saw that he had stopped breathing. 

There were people at the shrine--maybe they could help her!

She gently disengaged herself from Kyo and lay him back down, then got to her feet and ran towards the building. 

A large shadow fell across her, causing her to look up just as a burst of wind almost knocked her to the ground. Out of the corner of her eye, Kagura thought she saw a long scaly tail wrap itself around Kyo and lift him off the ground. But no...that was impossible. 

When she looked again, the sky was empty. Yet when she looked back--

Kyo was gone.

Kureno heard the rooster crow just as the first rays of the sun pierced through the shutters of the Sohma library. He paused a moment to give a silent prayer, then raised his ink-tipped quill to the parchment spread out before him.

On the sacred record of the Sohma clan, Kureno marked a quick stroke beside Kyo's name, then drew a careful line connecting _Sohma Yuki_ and _Sohma Tohru_. It might have been a trick of the eye, but for a split second, the ink around Kyo and Tohru's names seemed to shimmer.

"Tohru! What...what's happened to you?!"

Yuki backed away from the monster that had taken his wife's place. Her dress was torn and stretched tightly over its misshapen body. Its large violet eyes stared out at him sadly, begging for understanding. The wide muzzle of sharp teeth opened as the creature made an attempt to speak, yet as it heard the alien sound of its own voice, it fell silent in dismay. But Yuki had heard a trace of Tohru's voice inside the monster's own, and it was that which finally convinced him that it was really her.

"Tohru...."

He stood helplessly before her, feeling the happiness he had experienced only moments before drain out of him. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to say.

His _sensei _Kazuma merely stood by and watched, his arms folded in front of him. 

"Here, this might help."

Yuki turned in surprise to see Kagura walk up the ramp to the gazebo. She held a bracelet of black and white beads in her hand.

"Kyo is...gone," she said, choking on the words. "This is all that was left." She quickly wiped an arm across her face to dry the drops of tears and rain, then shakily handed the trinket to Yuki. He stared at it a long while in incomprehension. 

"Place it around her wrist," advised Kazuma, giving Yuki a small nudge forward. The teen stumbled and came to a stop only inches away from Tohru.

The beast lifted one of its long gangly arms, presenting the clawed hand to Yuki. He avoided meeting its gaze, focusing all of his attention on the bracelet. At last he succeeded in tying the knot.

Tohru's form reappeared instantly. She collapsed to the ground, and Yuki rushed forward without thinking to scoop her up in his arms.

"Tohru-chan..."

"_Gomen_, Yuki-kun," said Tohru faintly. "I had to. There was no other way."

Yuki didn't understand. No other way for what? What had happened to Kyo, and why did Tohru now carry his curse? 

"What did Kyo do to you?" growled Yuki. 

Kazuma answered for her. "Kyo had no part in this, at least not to his knowledge. Everything done here today was planned by Tohru herself."

"_Nani..._" breathed Yuki in disbelief. "Why, Tohru-chan?"

"I could not choose between you," she admitted guiltily. She then gazed up at him with an earnest expression. "I love you, Yuki-kun, but I love Kyo-kun, too. Because I chose to marry _you_, I wanted to give as great a gift to Kyo-kun as I could. I decided to take away his curse."

"But...but Kyo-kun is _DEAD!"_ wailed Kagura, rounding on Tohru. "You killed him! How do you consider that a gift?!"

"He'll come back," sighed Tohru, her eyes beginning to close. "The dragon...." Then she fainted. 

Kazuma indicated a soft pallet where Yuki could lay her down. He did so, then looked up at his _sensei, _seeking answers.

"Is she telling the truth? Is Kyo still alive?"

Kazuma's stern gaze made Yuki shrink away uncomfortably. 

"That depends," the older Sohma began. "On how you feel about your wife, now that you know what she's become."

"Tohru-chan?" Yuki glanced down at her sleeping form. Now that she was human again, it was easy for him to remember all the love he felt for her. It was hard to believe that they were really married; that he at last had the assurances that she returned that love. It almost didn't matter that she had said she still loved Kyo. _He_ was the one she had chosen to marry.

And yet... now whenever she transformed, she'd turn into that damn cat--or worse, the cat's true form. The hatred he had always felt towards Kyo began to surface. He clenched his fists as he struggled to fight down the anger, which for the first time, he recognized as foreign. Why would he harbor these dark feelings for Tohru--the one he loved with all his heart. She had tricked him, yes, but she did it out of love for another, and who was he to judge the worthiness of her sacrifice? Why should he seek vengeance when she was already suffering the price of her actions?

The anger was wrong, and he fought against it, smothering the dark emotion with bright memories of his days with Tohru, and the warmth that radiated between them.

"I still love her," asserted Yuki firmly. 

"Even though she is now the cat? Even though she has tricked you and managed to get her way?" asked the _sensei_.

These things seemed trivial to Yuki now, and he couldn't believe that Kazuma would even mention them. "It doesn't matter! I've pledged my life to Tohru-chan, and I won't abandon her. Not ever!"

"Yuki-kun..."

Tohru's eyes fluttered open and she gazed up at him in wonder. Yuki was immediately at her side. He clutched her left hand in his own, using the other to brush away a strand of hair that had fallen across her face. The ends of the strand had become lightly tinted--almost orange--but Yuki didn't pause to think about that. He looked into her eyes.

"Tohru-chan, please forgive me."

She blinked away the tears slowly forming in her eyes. "Yuki-kun, I'm so sorry. I'm the one who should ask for forgiveness. I didn't stop to think about how much I might hurt you."

"Shhh...." Yuki smiled down at her and wiped away a tear. "Let's just agree that we're both sorry, and that we forgive each other." Tohru nodded, and was about to say more, but Yuki silenced her with a long kiss. She quickly surrendered to the embrace.

After a few moments, they both became aware of another presence in the shrine. They hastily separated themselves and climbed to their feet, joining Kazuma and Kagura at the edge of the gazebo.

The spirit stones were on fire. Or at least, that's how it seemed, with the top of each marker emitting a pearly glow that wavered in the wind like flame. As they watched, the ghostly lights took on the form of twelve animals--the animals of the _juunishi _zodiac.

Tohru felt a pull leading her down the ramp. As she followed the strange summons, she was distantly aware of Yuki calling out her name, and Kazuma holding him back. When she reached the edge of the circle of stones, she found someone already standing there waiting for her.

"So, the day we have all been waiting for has finally come to pass." Tohru froze in terror as she met Akito's gaze. She knew that the clan head would have forbidden the marriage had he known, in fear that it would trigger the next cycle of death and rebirth for the _juunishi_--which was exactly what had happened. She worried that this transgression might cost her more than her trespass in the forbidden library, and that even now the guards were closing in to take her away.

But looking around, she saw no guards, and as she watched she noticed that a change had come over Akito. He was no longer stooped forward or pale with fatigue and illness. She felt a power emanating from him that resonated with the power in the stones, and within herself.

"Come forward and be judged, _tainted-one,_" called Akito, pointing a bony finger at Tohru. 

She suppressed a shriek as a white mist rose out from her, coalescing above her head. It slowly assembled itself into the shape of a ghostly cat. 

"Your transgression has caused us to suffer centuries of living death, ever repeating the folly of your hatred and petty jealousy." Tohru could see the cat spirit tremble with rage and fear, and found that she understood its frustration. Akito's accusations were unfair. The deceptive mouse was the cause of it all, cheating the cat out of its chance for recognition. Of course the cat would seek revenge against it and the rest of the _juunishi_, who had merely stood by and laughed at the cat's misfortunes. Even the emperor, who had the power to grant the _juunishi _a place above all other animals, had not been spared the cat's anger. What the cat hadn't known was that a power higher than the emperor himself had heard its desperate cries, and answered the call for revenge. 

How could the cat have known that its prayer had doomed them all to reincarnation as humans, forever reborn until a way was found to break the curse?

_It was all the mouse's fault!_ Tohru was startled by the intensity of the hatred rising within her. She glanced down at her sides, surprised to find her fists clenched in anger. No, this was wrong! The fighting had to stop! She and Yuki had forgiven each other. She knew that that forgiveness was their only hope at defeating the curse.

She concentrated on her feelings for Yuki, and tried to project that love onto the spirit of the cat floating above her. Similarly, she knew without looking that Yuki was communicating with the spirit of the mouse. They had to make them both understand.

Slowly, the swirling lights around the spirits dimmed. The cat was no longer shaking. A feeling of peace had descended upon the clearing. 

"Very well," intoned the spirit possessing Akito. "It is agreed that there will be no more fighting between us. All is forgiven, and the cat shall be welcomed into the circle of the _juunishi_ as the thirteenth animal."

Tohru could feel the cat's disbelief and growing joy at the spirits' decree. Akito made a sweeping gesture towards the ground at his feet, and suddenly another stone rose out of the earth. The cat spirit floated proudly to its new perch, where it was welcomed by its fellow _juunishi._

And then the thundering clouds parted, pouring sunshine down into the clearing. With the light of day, the spirits vanished, leaving behind a handful of bemused Sohmas.

"Is it really over?" asked Kagura as everyone gathered by the new stone marking the cat's place.

Kazuma responded by reaching for his student and giving her a fierce hug. Kagura paused in surprise, then braced herself for the inevitable transformation.

But nothing happened.

Kazuma then embraced Tohru and Yuki, also without triggering any changes, but stopped short of hugging Akito.

"I guess that answers that," said the clan head with a genuine smile. He turned to face Yuki and Tohru, and to their amazement, offered them a gracious bow.

"Congratulations on the wedding. And Tohru-chan...welcome to the family. We are indeed blessed to have you among us."

"_A-a__rigato gozaimasu_, Akito-san," stuttered Tohru, bowing in return. But Akito had already turned around and begun walking in the direction of the estate. 

Kazuma threw his younger cousins a wry grin, then ran to catch up with Akito, offering to help the young clan-head home. As the pair disappeared into the forest, Akito could be heard protesting that he felt fine, and could make the trip back without any help.

"I can't believe it--the curse is really gone," muttered Yuki in awe.

"But... but what about Kyo?" asked Kagura.

Kyo, it turned out, had been successfully resuscitated at a nearby hospital. No one understood how he had arrived there so quickly, or how Hatori had appeared out of nowhere to assist in the operation. Each time the subject was brought up, Kagura and Tohru would smile knowingly at each other, and Yuki would recall that on that morning, his wife had spoken of a dragon saving Kyo. Whatever the truth was, the two girls continued to keep it a well guarded secret.

With the curse gone, the _juunishi's_ attitudes underwent significant improvements. The Sohma clan was slowly becoming a regular family, with only the _usual_ family problems of failing grades, dating, and staying up past curfew. Kagura and Kyo both matured, as did their feelings for one another. Kyo accepted Tohru and Yuki's marriage graciously, joking that he himself would wait a few years before making such a commitment. But every now and then, he and Tohru would look at each other and feel a pang of regret. 

Even though the curse was broken, Tohru continued to wear Kyo's bracelet. Kyo told himself that that had to mean _something_, and allowed himself to be content.

_When you walk away  
You don't hear me say  
please oh baby, don't go  
Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight  
It's hard to let it go_

_The daily things that keep us all busy  
Are confusing me  
That's when you came to me and said,_

_Wish I could prove I love you  
But does that mean I have to walk on water?  
When we are older you'll understand  
It's enough when I say so  
And maybe some things are that simple_

_Hold me  
Whatever lies beyond this morning  
Is a little later on  
Regardless of warnings the future doesn't scare me at all  
Nothing's like before_

- Hikaru Utada, "Kingdom Hearts - Simple and Clean"


	13. Cat

**FRUITS BASKET: WHAT MUST BE DONE**

**by Vashkoda**

Disclaimer: This work of fiction uses characters belonging to Takaya Natsuki and Hakusensha without their permission. I am getting no profit from it. I only do it because I think Fruits Basket is a great story, and I want to help keep it alive!

Author's Note: This is it--the end! *sniff* It was fun while it lasted. Thanks for all the encouragement, especially considering my limited knowledge of the series and Japanese in general. Hope you all enjoyed it!

---------------------------------------

_EPILOGUE:_

Tohru looked up into the brightening sky, clutching her schoolbooks tightly in front of her as a shield against the autumn breeze. The chill she felt in her bones was from more than just the wind, she realized. There was an unnatural stir in the air, a restless presence that she had only felt once before--the morning the _juunishi_ spirits had materialized at the Pearl Shrine.

"_Okasan...?_"

Tohru didn't know why she had called out her mother's name, but afterwards she began to sense a change in the air. It grew suddenly warmer, and the playful breeze that had tugged at her dress now occupied itself with scattering away the golden leaves at her feet.

"_Okasan_," she gasped, more in awe than fear. Could it really be her mother's spirit? Yuki would probably say she was being foolish, but...

"I'm happy you're here," she said cheerfully, deciding that she had nothing to lose by believing. "I have so much to tell you, but then, maybe you already know?"

Tohru watched the dust devil spinning lazily beside her, and chose to interpret that as an invitation to speak. 

"Do you remember Sohma Yuki and Sohma Kyo? They came to visit you last year, and the year before. They were very nice, weren't they, _Okasan_?" Tohru grew suddenly nervous, and the fingers of her right hand began fidgeting with the string tying her books together.

"They _are_ very nice, and I care for them deeply," she said, staring at her hands. A golden ring glistened on one finger, and she reflexively covered it up with her other hand.

"I...I don't know how you feel about this, but I...uh, I...."

Tohru bit her lip as she tried to compose herself and think of a way to make her mother understand. But wouldn't her mother already know about all the things she had done? Wasn't she always watching over her? Tohru had spoken to her many times since the wedding, but only about small, everyday things. She had never actually taken the time to explain anything. Tohru cringed as she felt suddenly very guilty and ashamed. 

"_Okasan_, I'm sorry I haven't spoken about this sooner. But so many things were happening all of a sudden, and most of the time I didn't even know what was coming, and those things I _did_ know made me afraid. I wish you could have been there to help me, _Okasan_. I really needed you." Tohru at once felt bad for having spoken those words. It wasn't her mother's fault that she couldn't be there. Tohru knew that all her life, her mother had tried very hard to do all she could for Tohru. It was unfair for Tohru to make her mother feel guilty about what she couldn't control.

"Forgive me," said Tohru slowly. She looked up and realized in dismay that the dust devil had vanished. Had her mother felt insulted and left? Or was she merely sitting still, waiting for her daughter to resume the story?

Tohru put down her pile of books and knelt against the ground. Hoping that her mother could still hear her, she continued.

"I fell in love_._ It was the strangest thing, _Okasan_, because I didn't realize it at first. But Yuki and Kyo are special. I was very honored that they cared so much about me, and helped me with so many things. I wanted to help them too, but nothing I did felt important enough. Then when I learned their curse was going to kill them, I understood that this was my chance. I had to find a way to stop it."

Tohru took a deep breath. The story was about to get much more difficult.

"When I found out what I needed to do, I was afraid, _Okasan_. I wasn't sure I could do it." Color began to creep into Tohru's cheeks. "I..I think Shigure-san could see this, and that's why he told me the lie. He said that Kureno-san had told Akito-san about my visits to the library, and that I was about to get in big trouble unless I went through with the plan. I should have known better, though. Kureno-san wouldn't have betrayed me. After all, he's the one who helped show me what to do."

Tohru went on to explain how on her last visit to the library, she had seen a scroll left rolled open on Kureno's table. It was not the one with her name on it; rather, it was the yellowed old parchment that had previously been sealed with a black ribbon. Kureno had once told her that it was the first record of their family's history.

A new quill rested on the parchment, its bright tip directing Tohru's gaze to a particular name. It took a few moments for Tohru to realize its significance as she traced the name's ancestry and interpreted the dates and notes scribbled alongside it.

This man had not been born a Sohma. Yet he had married into the family on the same day as the death of _juunishi_, and the curse had still passed onto him. 

"I knew this was important, but I didn't understand why. Not until the dream I had that night. I had ones like it before-" Tohru shivered as she recalled the frightful visions, "-and this one was almost worse. I was in the woods again, and it was raining." 

She again saw Kyo dying on the muddy ground, with Hatori and Yuki standing close by, watching her. Remembering what happened last time, Tohru was afraid to approach the red-haired teen. 

"Who do you choose?" cawed the raven in the branches above her. 

"I...I can't do this," whimpered Tohru, backing away. 

"If you really are their friend, you will help them," the bird said. 

"But I don't want Kyo to die!" 

Hatori stood up then and walked towards Tohru. As he approached, his form seemed to flicker, sometimes taking the shape of a large serpent. 

"Do you trust me, Tohru-chan?" 

"_Hai_, of course...but-" 

"Then do not worry about Kyo-kun. I will bring him back." 

"But why does he have to die?" cried Tohru, shaking. 

"Because the curse has been with him too long. He will never be able to forgive Yuki, nor will Yuki ever learn to forgive him." 

It was not Hatori who had spoken. Tohru looked down in surprise at a pool of rainwater, in which an image of the cat's true form had appeared. 

"We are trapped in this cycle until someone decides to free us. Until someone else takes his place who can earn and bestow that forgiveness." 

"But...." 

And that was when it had all fallen into place. That was when Tohru realized the meaning of Kureno's clue, and the significance of the cat's reflection. 

The moment she awoke, she got up to find Shigure. He was waiting for her. 

"I told him what I needed to do. He didn't ask any questions or seem at all surprised. He took me to the costume shop where Ayame gave me a beautiful dress--_'for my new sister'_, he said. Then we went to see Kazuma-san to make arrangements for the ceremony. I also had to write notes for Kyo-kun and Yuki-kun. I wished I could tell them the truth, but Shigure-san told me they couldn't know or they would try to stop it." 

As she described the morning's ceremony to her mother, Tohru rushed through the details, still traumatized by the events of Kyo's death, her subsequent transformation, and her confrontation with the spirits. 

"I love them, _Okasan_. I would do anything to break their curse. And in the end, everything worked out for the best." Tohru finally uncovered the hand with her wedding band, letting it glitter in the sunlight. Against the other hand dangled a bracelet of black and white beads.

"I've graduated high school, _Okasan_, just like you always wanted. _Ojiisan_ told me he was very proud, and said you would be too. But that's not all-"

Tohru leaned over to pick up her books, then climbed to her feet. Quickly checking her watch, she was relieved to see that she still had plenty of time to make it to class.

"You see, Okasan, because I'm now a _juunishi_-" Tohru's mouth curved into a smile at the thought, "-Akito-san said that he would pay for my education. That means I can go to college with Yuki-kun, Kyo-kun, Kagura-chan and Hana-chan! Uo-chan said she has to work this year, but next year she'll try to take classes, and then Momiji-chan and Haru-kun will be there with us, too!"

Tohru hugged her books tightly and laughed as she was filled with bright thoughts about the future. The wind immediately picked up again, as if in response to her mood.

"What's so funny?"

Yuki and Kyo gave her odd looks as they exited their classroom and joined her outside.

"I'm just happy we're all still together!" she squealed, reaching out to embrace both of them. Kyo blushed awkwardly and coughed.

"Uh...yeah. Well, shouldn't we get going? Our next lecture is all the way across campus, after all."

Yuki reached out to take Tohru's books, offering to carry them for her. She smiled in return, then grabbed them both by the hand and raced down the path with the two startled teens in tow. 

The dust devil continued to dance in place until the trio disappeared from view. Then the wind died down, and everything was still.

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**reviewer responses: Again, a big thank you to everyone who reviewed (and for saying such nice things about the fic), and for making me feel welcome in the FB fandom. ^_^**

friend of shippou Hatori never died. I read somewhere that Hatori wouldn't become a true dragon until he had proven himself worthy. Therefore, his sacrifice at the end allowed him to finally transform into a dragon (which can fly), and so instead of falling to his death, he was able to carry Kyo to a hospital so that he could be quickly operated on and resuscitated.


End file.
